Newly released documents show that a person identified as “A” emailed disgraced former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell from the royal family’s Scottish residence in 2001, asking her if she had “found any new inappropriate friends.”
The email was part of a series of messages exchanged between 2001 and 2002 between Maxwell and someone using the email alias “The Invisible Man” and was included in a trove of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday. The email is signed with “A”.
Although the author is not explicitly identified as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince was introduced to Epstein in 1999 by Epstein’s then-girlfriend Maxwell, now a convicted sex offender. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
In an email to Maxwell on August 16, 2001, person “A” wrote: “I am at the Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family.”
“How is LA?” Mr. “A” wrote in an email. “Did you find a new inappropriate friend?”
Maxwell replied, “I’m afraid I have to tell you the truth. I could only find the right friends.”
None of the emails imply any wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to representatives from Mountbatten Windsor for comment. Andrew has previously denied all allegations against him.
The private estate of Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is often used as a summer residence by the royal family. CNN asked Buckingham Palace about the reference to Balmoral.
In an exchange with Maxwell, “A” added that his “valet,” who had been with him since he was two years old, had recently passed away and “left RN.”
“My whole life is in shambles because not only was my office laid off, I quit my RN and now I have no one to take care of me. He was such an amazing person, almost a family member. If you have any good ideas on how to get my mind back on track, I would appreciate your advice. See you soon… I would love to have you over. xxx,” the email concluded.
Mountbatten-Windsor retired from the Royal Navy in July 2001, a month before the email exchange appears to have taken place.
Another set of emails appears to show Maxwell helping plan a trip to Peru that included “a girl.”
In emails from February and March 2002, Maxwell appears to act as an intermediary between “A” and a man coordinating activities. In a Feb. 27 email exchange with Maxwell, the trainer suggested that he offer “A” tourist activities such as horseback riding or a private lunch near the ocean, before asking, “Girls…how old is he? I don’t think you’ll find anyone here, but you can give it a try.”
Maxwell forwarded the email to ‘A’. That email address was displayed as “The Invisible Man.”
“A” responded, “I was overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of the offers that were made on my behalf.”
He wrote that visiting the Nazca Lines ruins “looks interesting” and that “as for the girls, I’ll leave it entirely up to you and (the person in charge).”
Ms Maxwell said in a subsequent email that “Andrew” wanted to “do some sightseeing (read books from good families that are intelligent and very fun)”.
“I believe you will show him a great time, and I think you will only introduce him to friends you can trust, friendly, unassuming, and fun. He doesn’t want to read about any trips in the paper about who saw what.”
“If you have any questions, please call me. If you don’t, I’m sure a very English-looking gentleman will call and say hello on the phone. I told him it would be best to make plans with you in person,” Maxwell added.
On March 3, “A” informed Maxwell that he intended to call his Peruvian handler directly.
The former prince traveled to Peru in March 2002 on an official visit to commemorate his mother, Queen Elizabeth II’s 50th anniversary on the throne. Images from the trip provided by Getty Images show the then-prince posing with firefighters in Lima.
Mountbatten-Windsor resigned from royal duties in 2019 following a damning interview with the BBC about her relationship with Epstein. But continued release of documents by the U.S. government and whistleblower Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir have sparked a new storm of scrutiny.
Andrew denies all of Giuffre’s accusations and says he has no recollection of ever meeting Maxwell, although he did have a photo of them together. In 2022, it paid Giuffre a settlement to resolve a sexual abuse lawsuit. Giuffre died by suicide in April.
In recent weeks, renewed attention has been focused on Andrew’s relationship with Epstein, prompting King Charles to strip his brother of his royal title and order him to leave his 30-room mansion on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
