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A newly published electronic message reportedly reveals that the Duke of York wrote to the financier "we are united in this" following the publication of a picture showing the royal with his embracing a teenage Virginia Giuffre back in 2011.

This revelation appears to conflict with the Duke's previous claims to the BBC, where he asserted he had ended communication with the admitted sex offender by that point.

Email Correspondence Highlights

According to the published correspondence, Prince Andrew reportedly emailed Epstein on 28 February 2011, the following day the famous image of the Prince, Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell was released to the public.

In his message, he reportedly instructed Epstein to "keep in close touch" and voiced a desire to "meet up again soon."

"Your well-being concerns me too! Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Apart from that stay in contact and we’ll play some more soon!!!!"

The email was allegedly signed off with: "A, His Royal Highness The Duke of York, KG."

Inconsistency with Earlier Claims

In a 2019 program, Andrew informed journalist Emily Maitlis that he had ended his friendship with Epstein in December 2010, after being photographed together in New York.

He later stated that in that month he "had to show leadership" and "had to go and see him" to tell him "that’s it."

However, the newly revealed correspondence implies that communication persisted beyond that claimed cut-off point.

Background on Jeffrey Epstein

• Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was declared a suicide.
• He had earlier, in 2008, admitted guilt to charges of solicitation of prostitution and procuring a minor for prostitution, for which he was imprisoned.

Court Documents and Other Revelations

In January, a portion of the email from the Duke of York emerged in legal papers concerning a legal dispute involving the ex-Barclays CEO Jes Staley.

Staley was appealing against a finding by the UK banking regulator that he had given a misleading account about the extent of his connection with Epstein.

In other news, it additionally emerged this weekend that ex-PM Tony Blair met with Epstein in Number 10 while he was in office, following a recommendation by Peter Mandelson.

Mandelson had referred to Epstein as "safe" and a "acquaintance" in an email before the meeting.

Buckingham Palace and the Duke of York’s office have been reached out to for a statement.