An email believed to have been sent by Ghislaine Maxwell appears to confirm a photograph of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around Virginia Giuffre’s waist is real.

The message, released as part of the latest tranche of the Epstein files, was headed “draft statement” and sent by “G Maxwell” to Jeffrey Epstein in 2015.

She wrote: “In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.”

Giuffre, who took her own life in April 2025, alleged Mountbatten-Windsor had sex with her three times when she was a teenager.

The former prince has always denied any wrongdoing. He paid millions to Giuffre, a woman he has claimed never to have met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim on no admission of liability in 2022. He has previously questioned whether the picture had been doctored.

The email, released by the US Department of Justice, adds that “G Maxwell” was not aware of “anything improper” taking place at her home.

The name of the person discussed in the email had been redacted from the published version of the statement but the details suggest it was Giuffre.

The family of Giuffre told the BBC’s Newsnight the email showed she had been “vindicated”.

Her brother, Sky Roberts, said: “It truly does vindicate Virginia … she was not lying this entire time.” He added: “It’s a moment where we’re really proud of our sister.”

In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, Mountbatten-Windsor denied meeting Giuffre and suggested the photograph may have been faked. He said at the time: “Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored but I don’t recollect that photograph ever being taken.”

In the interview he also claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, the night it is claimed he was photographed with Giuffre.

In December, the Metropolitan police decided after a review not to launch a full criminal investigation into allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor had sex with Giuffre in London in 2001, and that Andrew put pressure on his police protection officer to find any damaging information on her.

Buckingham Palace was contacted for comment.