In brief
Recent documents released as part of the ongoing Stephen Epstein investigation include an email from an individual at Balmoral Castle that asks Ghislaine Maxwell for 'inappropriate friends.' The email has ignited further scrutiny into connections to Epstein, although no wrongdoing has yet been established. The investigation continues to unravel ties involving notable figures, including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
An email sent from an individual named A, saying they are at Balmoral and asking Ghislaine Maxwell for inappropriate friends, is among the latest tranche of Epstein files released on Tuesday.
The message, sent to Maxwell on 16 August 2001, begins: I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family. Later in the email, the sender asks: How's LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends? before signing off see ya A xxx.
Balmoral Castle is a royal residence.
The emails do not indicate any wrongdoing. The BBC has contacted Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's team for a response. The former prince has previously denied all wrongdoing.
He has also previously said he did not see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his [Epstein's] arrest and conviction.
The message was sent from email address abx17@dial.pipex.com entitled The Invisible Man and forms part of more than 11,000 files published on Tuesday.
In an email sent back to this address on the same day, Maxwell wrote: So sorry to disappoint you, however, the truth must be told. I have only been able to find appropriate friends.
A different email address - aace@dial.pipex.com - is listed in Epstein's phone book under a contact labelled Duke of York. A further exchange between Maxwell and The Invisible Man also published on Tuesday shows the alias attached to both of the email addresses.
The messages, sent in February 2002, discuss a trip to Peru. Maxwell initially forwarded an email to The Invisible Man at abx17@dial.pipex.com with details of plans for a visit to the South American country asking What do you think?.
In October, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost the use of his prince and Duke of York titles following scrutiny over his links with Epstein. The US Department of Justice has been releasing documents known as the Epstein files relating to two criminal investigations into the convicted sex offender during his lifetime. Congress passed a law mandating the files be released in their entirety by 19 December.
