Queen Elizabeth II gave Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor her ‘full support’ after a photo emerged of him with his arm around Virginia Giuffre – though she believed it was ‘unwise’ of him to keep contact with Jeffrey Epstein.
An email unearthed in the latest batch of files linked to the paedophile financier reveals how a close adviser to the Prince, David Stern, wrote to Epstein confirming the late monarch’s backing of her son.
Referring to Andrew as “PA” Mr Stern said: ‘PA has full support of his mum, only dealing with you was “unwise”.’
It is understood Stern was quoting the view of Andrew’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, ITV News reports.
The correspondence is dated from March 9, 2011 – three months after Andrew had claimed in his damning Newsnight interview he had flown to New York and stayed with Epstein to inform him in-person their friendship was over.
He said the trip was the ‘honourable’ thing to do.
At the time of the email exchange, Andrew was facing increasing pressure to resign from his official business ambassador role after a newspaper had printed the photograph of him walking alongside Epstein in New York’s Central Park.
Further correspondence showed Stern keep Epstein informed on the mood in the palace following the publications.
Queen Elizabeth II gave Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor her ‘full support’ after a photo emerged of him with his arm around Virginia Giuffre. The mother and son are pictured together at the Queen’s annual birthday parade in June, 2019
(L-R) Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell are seen posing for a photo. Maxwell appeared to confirm the legitimacy of the image
He wrote: ‘Theme seems to be now: PA under scrutiny for dealing with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan (but government approved!).’
The emails signal the first indication of what Queen Elizabeth appeared to think about her son’s decisions.
The Queen later authorised Andrew to step down as a working member of the Royal Family in 2019 – however, shortly after the Newsnight interview, she allowed him to remain the Duke of York, keeping his prince title.
It wasn’t until October 2025 that the title was removed – under order of King Charles.
It has been widely understood that Queen Elizabeth privately funded Andrew’s out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre, reported to be around £12million, following her allegations against him.
Tellingly, despite Andrew’s reputation being in tatters, the Queen chose him to walk with her when she attended a remembrance service at Westminster Abbey for her husband, Prince Philip, in 2022.
Only a few days before the email exchange, Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, had issued a public apology for accepting money from Epstein.
She expressed the regret, on March 7, 2011, after taking £15,000 from the sex offender so she could settle her own debts.
David Stern is thought to appear smiling in a photograph released by the US Department of Justice, alongside Andrew and Ferguson
Epstein then wrote to Stern asking him to inform Andrew and Ferguson, referred to as ‘F’, that the statement was causing issues, ITV News reports.
He said: ‘send both an mail (sic) saying that sarahs [sic] comments causing major problems,.. Jeffrey will need to defend himself. this is unfair, very unfair’.
Stern responded: ‘just to confirm: I will send BOTH (PA & F) that message. I will not send email but Messenger which is safer (device to device).’
A close confidante of Andrew’s, Stern previously worked in the former Duke of York’s office and was director of his now-closed Pitch@Palace entrepreneur scheme.
He is thought to appear smiling in a photograph released by the US Department of Justice, alongside Andrew and Ferguson.
There is birthday cake on the desk and Stern writes ‘my birthday’ beneath the image.
Yesterday, Ms Giuffre’s family said she had been ‘vindicated’ after an email from Ghislaine Maxwell confirmed the infamous photo with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as real.
The former prince had long disputed the validity of the photo of him in intimate contact with Ms Giuffre when she was just 17.
Yesterday, Ms Giuffre’s family said she had been ‘vindicated’ after an email from Ghislaine Maxwell confirmed the infamous photo with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as real
Andrew’s suggestion that the damning 2001 picture may have been faked was central to the defence he tried to put over in his disastrous Newsnight interview (pictured)
And his suggestion that the damning 2001 picture may have been faked was central to the defence he tried to put over in his infamous Newsnight interview.
But on Thursday, the Daily Mail revealed an email from sex offender Maxwell stated ‘for the record as fact’ that she had not just introduced Andrew to Ms Giuffre, but the image was taken in her home that same night.
Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre’s brother, told BBC Newsnight the correspondence ‘truly does vindicate’ his sister.
‘It shows that not only was she not lying this entire time, even though many people across multiple countries indicated that she was.’
He added: ‘She was telling the truth, not only did Ghislaine mention that the photo was real, but that it was in the same house that Virginia had mentioned.
‘It’s a moment where we are really proud of our sister, it is a vindicating moment, but we also want to use this as a moment to remind people to believe survivors.’
Drafting a statement intended to hit back at reports of mounting allegations in the press, disgraced socialite Maxwell had sent Epstein an email asking for his approval.
‘In 2001 I was in London when (redacted) met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew,’ she wrote.
Andrew is pictured leaving Royal Lodge. Andrew is now believed to have vacated his £30million, 31-room residence
Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park is pictured. Andrew is moving to Marsh Farm in Norfolk on his brother Charles’s estate
‘A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.
‘I never asked (redacted) to give him a massage,’ her draft statement added.
In the body of the email, she said: ‘I am stating for the record as fact’ before adding: ‘Prince Andrew came to my house to visit me – (redacted) was in the house and they did meet.’
However, she claimed she had ‘no knowledge’ of presumably Ms Giuffre ‘having sexual activity’ with Andrew or any other ‘famous people’.
Epstein replied saying her statement left ‘too many unanswered questions’ adding: ‘Her and andrew?…whats the deal here? why is she there.’
Maxwell insisted that she needs the statement ‘asap’ and that she was advised to say ‘I was not aware of massage w/andrew in my house’.
‘These thing they have to stay, along w/meeting virginia and rebutting those allegations. I needs it asap.’
The emails were written days after Ms Giuffre first launched her bombshell legal claim in the US in January 2015 accusing Maxwell of recruiting her as a ‘sex slave’.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is seen crouched over an unidentified woman in one of the latest photos released in the disclosure of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein
Allegations that she was forced to have sex with the former prince were central to her case.
The correspondence directly contradicts repeated denials about the meeting in London ever taking place, with both Andrew and Maxwell trying to cast doubt over the image’s authenticity.
Andrew was forced out of Royal Lodge earlier this week – transferred to the King’s Sandringham Estate.
The former Duke of York was told to leave his stately home earlier than expected after King Charles became increasingly concerned by allegations made against him, it is understood.
It followed the publication of an email on Monday night, released in the latest batch of the Epstein files, where Andrew appeared to tell paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein he wanted to be his ‘pet’.
Police also announced on Tuesday they would assess claims Epstein trafficked a second woman to the UK to have sex with the disgraced former Prince.
Andrew is now believed to have vacated his £30million, 31-room Royal Lodge – three months after handing back his lease.
He was driven 132 miles to Sandringham and transported ‘under the cover of darkness’.
Andrew will be temporarily staying at Wood Farm Cottage before moving permanently next door to Marsh Farm by the start of April, upon completion of renovations.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
