A chilling message sent by Prince Andrew to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 has surfaced during a London court case.
Emails revealed during a case brought by Barclays CEO Jes Staley against the Financial Conduct Authority appear to show that the disgraced brother of King Charles wrote to Epstein on the same day a photograph of him emerged with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre – who claimed she was trafficked by the convicted paedophile.
Andrew had earlier said that he had cut off contact with Epstein in December 2010 – but this message from late February 2011, said: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon.”
Barclays boss Staley was fined heavily and blocked from holding a senior financial services management position until 2023 after he was found to have lied about his relationship with Epstein.
He claimed to have cut off contact with Epstein “well before” he joined Barclays, but emails reveal the pair were in touch until at least the run-up to his appointment in 2015.
Emails show that Epstein invited Andrew to spend time with him and Staley. Andrew later said he and Staley were having dinner together the following night in Mayfair.
Epstein wrote to Andrew on February 27th, saying: “jes staley will be in London on next tue afternoon, if you have time”.
Andrew wrote back to make sure he had the right date, and added: “keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon”.
Andrew has strenuously denied claims against him and insisted he has no memory of encountering Ms Giuffre.
He settled her case against him, reportedly to the tune of several millions of pounds.
Related: Democrats torch Robert F Kennedy Jr over anti-vax views