The former Duke of York had ‘consensual sex’ with one of Jeffrey Epstein’s employees, according to a close associate of the paedophile financier.
In a private email exchange, released in the latest tranche of files by US lawmakers, Epstein was warned to distance himself from the then Prince in 2015.
Journalist Landon Thomas Jr who appeared to have a close relationship with the disgraced millionaire urged him in one message to ‘address’ the scandal surrounding Andrew head on.
He said of Andrew, who has been stripped of his royal titles over the scandal, ‘in the end he had consensual sex with’ an employee who worked for Epstein.
It is not clear if Thomas Jr had been referring to Virginia Giuffre who publicly accused Mr Mountbatten-Windsor of having sex with her on three occasions when she was 17.
Epstein had emailed the journalist saying his reputation ‘had taken a hit’ with a draft of a potential statement he was considering releasing in an effort to repair his image.
On January 16, 2015 in an email headed ‘How are you holding up?’, Thomas Jr replied: ‘I think the big issue is separating yourself from Andrew. I mean I can see why a statement might help in some way – but its Andrew (not clinton and the rest) that is keeping the story alive.
‘Until you are able to come forward and address that the story lives on. I mean in the end he had consensual sex with (redacted) And (redacted) worked for you.
‘The rest is atmospherics. You have moved on! People don’t know that and cant accept that unless you say as much.’
Epstein did not appear to address the comment in his reply and went on instead to talk about other matters.
Thomas Jr last night insisted that Epstein, who died awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, never told him Giuffre had sex with Andrew, and that he was merely repeating what he had read about the accusations in the press.
It comes after emails released in the bombshell tranche revealed how Epstein had confirmed the infamous photograph he took of the former prince and then teenage Giuffre at Maxwell’s London townhouse was genuine.
Messages from 2011 revealed that the late financier admitted ‘..yes she had her photo taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have’.
The pictured was unearthed by the MoS that year as Ms Giuffre insisted she had slept with Andrew on three occasions – a claim the ex-prince has vehemently denied.
Meanwhile, the deadline for Andrew to respond to US congressional committee request for interview ends on Thursday.
In a letter sent to the former prince on November 6, the US House Oversight Committee requested he sit for a ‘transcribed interview’ in connection with his ‘long-standing friendship’ with Epstein.
The letter, signed by 16 members of Congress, asked Andrew to respond by November 20.
