A newly disclosed email has cast a stark light on the relationship between a senior British royal and the convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. The correspondence, sent just one day after a controversial photograph became public, suggests a coordinated effort to weather the ensuing storm.
The message, dated February 28, 2011, was sent from the Duke of York to Epstein. It opens with a statement of solidarity: “It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it.” The royal goes on to express concern for Epstein, who was under investigation at the time, before adding a note of future intent: “We’ll play some more soon.”
The email concludes with the sender’s formal title and the initials “KG,” denoting his membership in the Order of the Garter, a chivalric order.
This communication followed the release of a photograph showing the Duke with his arm around a then-teenage Virginia Giuffre, with Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, also visible. Giuffre, who brought a civil lawsuit against the royal in 2021, alleged she was trafficked to him on multiple occasions while she was a minor.
In legal filings prior to her tragic death earlier this year, Giuffre provided detailed diary accounts of her alleged encounters. She described the royal’s alleged fixation with her feet and documented interactions she said were fueled by fear of disappointing powerful figures.
The Duke has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. The civil case was settled out of court in 2022 for an undisclosed sum, with no admission of liability. This email, however, presents a jarring contrast to public claims of distance from Epstein, revealing a private dialogue of mutual support and anticipated future contact at the height of the scandal.
