Zürcher Nachrichten - Epstein offered ex-prince Andrew meeting with Russian woman: files

The discussion about the woman appears in some of the millions of new pages released Friday by the US Justice Department, as well as an apparent exchange weeks later about an invitation to Buckingham Palace.

In one August 12, 2010 email, Epstein told Andrew -- addressed as "The Duke" -- that he had "a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with" and said she would be in London from August 20 to 24, the documents show.

Andrew asked what Epstein had told her about him and whether she would be bringing "a message" from Epstein, the messages indicate.

In a subsequent email, Andrew replied that he would be in Geneva on August 22, but "would be delighted to see her".

Epstein said the woman was 26, Russian, clever and beautiful, adding that she had the prince's email.

There is no suggestion in the materials that any meeting took place.

Andrew, who has always denied any wrongdoing, was last year stripped by the king of all his royal titles over his association with Epstein.

Weeks later, they apparently discussed dinner at Buckingham Palace.

According to one message, Epstein contacted Andrew on September 27, 2010 during a stay in London, writing: "What time would you like me... we will also need (to)... have private time."

Andrew replied that he was just leaving Scotland, adding: "We could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy."

Two days later Andrew emailed again.

"Delighted for you to come here to BP (Buckingham Palace). Come with whomever and I'll be here free from 1600ish to 2000," he wrote.

It was not clear whether any dinner at the palace -- then the official London residence of the late Queen Elizabeth II -- ever took place.

Epstein had been released on probation from house arrest in August 2010 following his sentencing for procuring for prostitution a girl below the age of 18.

In a 2019 interview with the BBC, Andrew claimed he had cut ties with the sex offender after December 2010, but court documents revealed later showed he continued to communicate with him.

Other documents made public last year and a posthumous memoir by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre -- who had accused Andrew of sexual assault -- reignited UK anger over his ties to Epstein.

It culminated in the king deciding to remove all of his brother's royal titles and honours and announcing that he would be ousted from his 30-room mansion on the royal estate at Windsor, west of London.

The former prince, now known by as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has always denied that he sexually abused Giuffre, who alleged that she was trafficked to have sex with him on three occasions, twice when she was just 17.

After she launched a lawsuit against him, he paid her a multi-million-pound settlement in 2022 without making any admission of guilt.

Giuffre, a US and Australian citizen, died by suicide at her home in Australia in April.

Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019.

I.Widmer--NZN