Sarah Ferguson appeared to send a flirtatious message to Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction for sex offences, suggesting a woman he could marry.
The email seemed to be sent by the former duchess to Epstein’s private email address on September 17, 2009.
• What’s in the Epstein files? The key revelations so far
It said: “You can marry her too. She is single and a great body. Ok well marry me and then we will employ her.”
The email came shortly after Epstein’s prison sentence and house arrest for sex offences, following which Ferguson had taken her two daughters to see the financier.
Epstein appeared to continue to offer Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson business advice on several occasions.
On August 30, 2010, Ferguson appears to have sent the financier an invitation to the couple’s home at Royal Lodge, saying: “Can you come down to Royal Lodge on sept 1st.. Wednesday..?”
At one point she appears to discuss the threat of bankruptcy, while an associate of Epstein’s seems to offer help to Ferguson regarding a “wealth Fund idea with China”.
A redacted photo released by the US Department of Justice shows Sarah Ferguson with an unknown woman
US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/AP
Andrew claimed to have cut contact with Epstein after he was photographed walking with the financier in Central Park, New York, on December 5, 2010, but the latest documents released by the US Congress suggest that Epstein visited him at his home days later.
On December 7, Epstein sent an email suggesting that he was visiting the couple’s home, writing: “Will be with PA [thought to be Prince Andrew] at 1200 at Royal Lodge (Windsor).”
Later, Epstein appeared to be worried that his reputation would be damaged by his association with Andrew, rather than the other way round.
• Andrew must ‘follow his conscience’ on Epstein, say palace insiders
Amid the publication of court documents in which Andrew was accused by Virginia Giuffre of having sex with her when she was 17, Epstein appeared to share his concerns with Lord Mandelson.
In a message dated March 14, 2015, the financier told Mandelson: “I guess you were right that my association/friendship with Andrew would come to no good deed.”
On Tuesday Andrew’s younger brother, the Duke of Edinburgh, called for people to “remember the victims” of Epstein.
Speaking on stage at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Edward became the first member of the royal family to speak publicly about the Epstein scandal after the latest release of documents by the US Congress, which included a picture of Andrew posing on all fours over an unnamed woman.
Pictures of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were released last week by the US Department of Justice
US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/REUTERS
During a debate about the future of education, Eleni Giokos, a CNN presenter, asked Edward about the scandal that had been “dominating headlines”.
Referring to a statement released by Buckingham Palace last year in which the King and Queen extended their sympathies to Epstein’s victims, Giokos asked the duke: “And I wonder what you think of this, because it is so close to home, clearly very difficult.
“And I know you’ve put in various plans in place to move the institution forward, but how are you coping with that?”
Prince Edward: “Always remember the victims”
Edward said: “I think it’s all really important always to remember the victims. And who are the victims in all this? A lot of victims in all this.”
A member of another royal family is mentioned in the latest batch of Epstein documents.
In an email chain titled “Prince William visit”, Sultan bin Sulayem, whose father was a key adviser to Dubai’s ruling Maktoum family, appears to message Epstein to tell him about a meeting with William.
Bin Sulayem, chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, appeared to tell Epstein: “Yesterday I received Prince at our London gateway Port I showed him around the facility. And today I attended a function with him at Buckingham Palace.”
Seeking clarification, Epstein appeared to reply: “prince WILLIAM” and was told: “Yes, I meant William.”
Epstein then replied to say “fun” and sent a follow-up email a few minutes later in which he said: “I have my cook with me, we will cook you dinner on the 23rd.”
There is no suggestion that Prince William was aware that the meeting was taking place or that he had any connection to Epstein.
Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were approached for comment.