Queen Elizabeth paid handsomely to conceal Prince Andrew’s ‘unwise’ Epstein link: ‘Full support of his mum’

Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files offer insight into how the late Queen Elizabeth II viewed her son Prince Andrew’s controversial ties to the convicted sex offender. Until now, the Queen’s private thoughts about her son’s judgment regarding Epstein were never publicly documented.

According to ITVX, in March 2011, David Stern, a close adviser to then-Prince Andrew, emailed Epstein, saying “PA [Prince Andrew] has full support of his mum, only dealing with you was ‘unwise.’” Buckingham Palace spokespeople had previously offered only general support, and the monarchy maintained that Andrew’s association with Epstein was a personal matter.

The Giuffre photos

These emails were exchanged shortly after a photograph of Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre — one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers — was first published in 2011. Andrew’s connection to Epstein had already become a public scandal. A message believed to have been sent by Ghislaine Maxwell in 2015 appears to confirm that a photo showing Andrew with his arm around Giuffre was taken at her London home and was not faked, contradicting years of public denials by the former prince.

Andrew: “We are in this together”

Another leaked email from Prince Andrew to Epstein, sent on February 28, 2011 — a day after the photo was published — shows the former royal writing that the two were “in this together” and would need to “rise above it,” while urging Epstein to stay in contact.

This message challenges Andrew’s later public claims that he had cut off communication with Epstein in late 2010, as he stated in a 2019 interview when defending his conduct.

Though the Queen expressed private concern about Andrew’s continued dealings with Epstein, she maintained public and familial support. Reports indicate that she stood by Andrew even after the scandal intensified, including walking beside him at high-profile events such as the 2022 memorial for Prince Philip.

It is also widely understood that the Queen may have helped Andrew secure funds to settle a civil claim brought by Virginia Giuffre in 2022, a payment reported to be around £12 million. Andrew settled without admitting liability.

Broader UK fallout and royal response

These revelations have shaken the British public and political establishment. In late 2025, King Charles III stripped Andrew of his royal titles and evicted him from Royal Lodge. Separately, UK authorities are reportedly examining complaints that Andrew may have shared confidential trade information with Epstein.

Before these Epstein file documents were made public, the public record contained only partial pieces of Prince Andrew’s association with Epstein and the defense of his actions. Now, with internal emails confirming both the Queen’s nuanced stance and the ongoing nature of Andrew’s contact with Epstein — even after the release of the Giuffre photograph — the scandal has entered a new chapter.