Prince Andrew shared photographs of his daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, with Jeffrey Epstein during the holiday season, drawing the young royals into their parents’ ongoing scandal. The images appeared in two Christmas emails sent in 2011 and 2012, as revealed in recently released documents from the US Department of Justice.
Details of the Shared Photographs
The emails, dispatched from Andrew’s official account as the Duke of York, included family snapshots taken when Eugenie was 21 and 22 years old, and Beatrice was 23 and 24. These communications occurred well after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution, despite Andrew’s prior statements that he had severed ties with the financier up to two years earlier.
The 2011 email featured a greeting card with four images: one showing Beatrice and Eugenie posing in the snow, with Beatrice in a silver Christmas cracker hat and earmuffs, and Eugenie in a fur hat and brown scarf. Other photos depicted a snow-covered Royal Lodge and Andrew in a canoe. The card wished Epstein joy and happiness, signed by Andrew.
In the 2012 email, additional pictures highlighted the princesses’ activities. One captured Eugenie during a charity bike ride in London, where she raised £9,000 for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the MCC Foundation to build a cricket stadium in Rwanda. Another showed Beatrice posing confidently while climbing Mont Blanc in February 2012. The card also included images of Andrew abseiling down The Shard and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, walking across Great Slave Lake in Canada.
Broader Revelations from the Documents
The release of approximately three million Epstein-related files on Friday exposed further embarrassing details involving Andrew and his associates. Among them were photographs showing Andrew leaning over a young woman lying on the floor, touching her stomach in one image. The context and location of these photos remain unclear.
Romantic emails between Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, revealed affectionate language. They addressed each other as ‘sweetheart’ and ‘darling,’ expressing mutual love and longing. One 2002 exchange showed Andrew seeking Maxwell’s ‘permission’ to spend time with Sarah Ferguson and their children instead of traveling to the US, signing off as ‘A’ and noting the importance for the girls.
Maxwell replied understandingly but added a suggestive note about other guests, including ‘5 other stunning red heads,’ concluding with ‘I shall miss you. I love you lots. Gx.’
Other disclosures included Andrew inviting Epstein to Buckingham Palace shortly after his house arrest ended for soliciting sex from a minor, promising privacy. Epstein had offered to arrange a dinner for Andrew with a 26-year-old Russian woman, to which Andrew responded he would be ‘delighted’ and asked if it was ‘good to be free?’
Sarah Ferguson referred to Epstein as ‘the brother I have always wished for’ in a 2009 email, thanking him amid her financial debts, which he helped alleviate. Additional files mentioned communications involving Richard Branson, who suggested Epstein bring his ‘harem’ to a future meeting; claims about Bill Gates; Elon Musk inquiring about parties on Epstein’s island; and email exchanges between Maxwell and Melania Trump.
Impact on the Royal Family
These developments place Beatrice and Eugenie in challenging positions as their parents face continued scrutiny. The sisters, aged 37 and 35, have publicly distanced themselves from Andrew and Ferguson amid the scandal, which led to the couple losing titles, privileges, and their residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Royal expert Jennie Bond described the situation as ‘trying times’ for the family, noting the daughters’ conflicted loyalties. Eugenie, a prominent anti-slavery advocate through her Anti-Slavery Collective, finds the revelations particularly difficult, especially Andrew’s lack of apology to Epstein’s victims. Beatrice has shown a more measured response, recently inviting Andrew to her daughter Athena’s christening and joining him on a horse ride with her daughter Sienna.
Despite these interactions, sources indicate limited contact since the files began emerging in late 2025. The King has excluded Andrew from family events like Christmas at Sandringham while retaining the sisters’ titles and involvement. Concerns persist about Andrew and Ferguson’s mental health, with Princess Anne and Prince Edward maintaining contact for support.
The ongoing eviction from Royal Lodge underscores the family’s isolation from senior royals, including the King, Queen, and Prince William.
