The infamous 2001 photograph showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, Ghislaine Maxwell smiling in the background, has long been at the heart of one of the most damaging scandals in modern royal history. For years, the former prince questioned its authenticity, claiming in his disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview that he had “no recollection” of it being taken and suggesting it could have been doctored.
Here is the iconic image that has haunted Andrew for over a decade
Now, a newly released email from Jeffrey Epstein himself—unearthed in a trove of over 20,000 documents published by Democrats on the U.S. House Oversight Committee in November 2025—directly undermines those denials. In a July 2011 message to his publicist, Epstein wrote: “Yes she [Giuffre] was on my plane and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have.” Epstein, alleged to have snapped the photo on a disposable camera at Maxwell’s London townhouse, casually confirmed the encounter while attempting to discredit Giuffre’s broader allegations.
This revelation arrives amid renewed scrutiny following Giuffre’s tragic suicide in April 2025 and the posthumous publication of her memoir, Nobody’s Girl, which reiterated claims of being trafficked to Andrew three times. Andrew, who settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability, was stripped of all royal titles by King Charles III in October 2025.
The email not only authenticates the photograph but highlights Epstein’s efforts to shield powerful associates. Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in 2021 for her role in the trafficking ring and currently serving a 20-year sentence, had previously called the image fake.
Her court appearance underscores the enabler’s downfall:
Giuffre alleged the abuse occurred in London (where the photo was taken), New York, and on Epstein’s private island, Little St. James—infamously dubbed “Pedophile Island.”
Aerial views of the secluded site where much of the alleged exploitation took place:
Epstein’s confirmation erodes Andrew’s narrative of never meeting Giuffre and casts fresh doubt on his claims of severing ties with the financier in 2010. The documents also reveal ongoing contact into 2011. As calls grow for full transparency in Epstein’s network, this email serves as a stark reminder: no amount of denial can erase the evidence when the predator himself admits the truth. Giuffre’s voice, silenced too soon, continues to demand accountability.
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