WASHINGTON D.C. – Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, expressed acute distress in a March 2011 email to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, stating, “I can’t take any more of this,” after a British newspaper prepared to publish allegations linking him to the pair. The email was part of a trove of thousands of documents from Epstein's estate released on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, by the U.S. House Oversight Committee.

The release has reignited international scrutiny of the disgraced royal's long-standing relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The documents show that on March 4, 2011, Maxwell forwarded an inquiry from the Mail on Sunday newspaper to Epstein, which was then sent to an email address identified as belonging to “The Duke.” The inquiry detailed claims by Virginia Giuffre that she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions while she was a minor.

In his panicked response, Andrew wrote to Maxwell: “What's all this? I don't know anything about this! You must SAY so please. This has NOTHING to do with me. I can't take any more of this.” In a separate email to Epstein, he pleaded: “Please make sure that every statement or legal letter states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations. I can't take any more of this my end.”

These emails contradict Andrew's public statements, particularly his assertion during a 2019 BBC Newsnight interview that he had severed all contact with Epstein in December 2010. Other emails from February 2011, previously reported, showed Andrew telling Epstein “we are in this together” just after the now-infamous photograph of him with his arm around a 17-year-old Giuffre was published.

US Congressional Probe Intensifies

The document release coincides with mounting pressure from U.S. lawmakers for Andrew to cooperate with their ongoing investigation into Epstein's network. On November 6, 2025, Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee, led by Representatives Suhas Subramanyam and Robert Garcia, formally requested that Andrew submit to a transcribed interview. In their letter, the lawmakers stated that Andrew's “long-standing friendship with Mr Epstein, indicate that you may possess knowledge of his activities relevant to our investigation.”

“If he is innocent, then he can clear his name. And if not, our investigation will show that, and the victims will receive long overdue justice,” Rep. Subramanyam said in a statement. The committee, however, does not have the power to compel testimony from a foreign national. Andrew has previously been accused by U.S. authorities of providing “zero co-operation” with their inquiries.

Global Fallout and Kenyan Context

While the scandal is centered in the UK and the US, its repercussions touch on broader themes of accountability for the powerful that resonate globally, including in Kenya. The controversy surrounding Andrew, who has since been stripped of his royal titles, has been cited as a factor damaging the international image of the British monarchy. This comes as the monarchy, under King Charles III, attempts to redefine its role within the Commonwealth, a context keenly observed in Kenya.

During his state visit to Kenya in October 2023, King Charles acknowledged the “painful aspects” of the colonial past, expressing regret but stopping short of a formal apology sought by many. Scandals that erode the monarchy's moral authority, such as Andrew's association with Epstein, complicate its diplomatic and cultural standing in nations like Kenya, where debates about historical injustices and the legacy of British rule continue. The persistent questions about Andrew's conduct and finances serve as a stark reminder of the global demand for transparency and justice, regardless of rank or privilege.

Virginia Giuffre, who filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in 2021, reached an out-of-court settlement in February 2022 for an undisclosed sum, with Andrew making no admission of guilt. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025, and her posthumously published memoir has brought renewed attention to her allegations.