Ghislaine Maxwell admits infamous photo of Andrew with arm around Virginia Giuffre's waist is real

The former Duke of York has long disputed the image's authenticity and claimed it may have been faked, but his theories have been challenged by the message released as part of the Department of Justice's latest batch of Epstein files.

Andrew's claim was central to his defence during his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, where he also claimed he doesn't sweat.

Giuffre, who was 17 at the time of the photograph, alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew on at least three occasions included the day the picture was taken.

The email from Jeffrey Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida prison, sees the socialite saying she was "stating for the record as fact" that not only had she introduced Andrew to Giuffre but that the photograph was taken at her London home the same night.

Her admission, unearthed by the Daily Mail, comes as a challenge to Andrew's version of events, after he memorably claimed he was in Pizza Express in Woking with his daughter on the day he was alleged to have met 17-year-old Guiffre.

Andrew has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and denied having ever met Giuffre, who died by suicide last year in Australia.

Ghislaine's email, sent to Epstein, involved her drafting a statement in the face of "relentless media harassment" she had experienced relating to Giuffre's claims.

In the correspondence, Maxwell detailed how she introduced what is thought to be Giuffre to Andrew, which she sent to paedophile financier Epstein.

The proposed statement reads: "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. I never asked to give him a massage.

The emails were written days after Giuffre first launched her legal claim in the US in January 2015 accusing Maxwell of recruiting her as a "sex slave".

Maxwell claims she was compelled to speak out due to the "salacious claims" made against her.

The statement also details how she met presumed to be Giuffre: "I met (redacted) when she was working at the Mar-A-Largo Country Club.

"I understood that she was at least 18 and was a masseuse not least because of her talking about her 67 year old girlfriend.

"Mr Epstein was at that time looking for a part-time masseuse. I asked if she would be interested in applying for the job and she was. She subsequently came to Mr Epstein's house with her mother and brother.

"Ms (redacted) was interviewed by Mr Epstein. I was not present as I remained with her mother chatting until the interview concluded."

Read more: Andrew and Epstein ‘asked exotic dancer for a threesome at paedophile financier’s Florida home’

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Before her death, Virginia Giuffre alleged that after being forced to have sex with the Duke, he got up and "thanked" her.

She continued: "I sat there in bed, just horrified and ashamed and felt dirty."

She said she was 17 years old and working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when she was approached by Maxwell to train as a massage therapist.

The former prince paid millions of pounds to Giuffre in 2022 to settle a civil court claim in the US without admitting liability.

Giuffre, 41, was found dead at her farm in Neergabby, Western Australia, last April, where she had been living for the past few years.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles by the King last year after the posthumous publication of a book by Giuffre, titled 'Nobody's Girl'.

Earlier today, removal trucks were seen departing Andrew's former Royal Lodge residence.

It comes as police continue to investigate new claims that an alleged victim of Epstein was sent to the UK for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010.

Andrew has not publicly responded to the second set of allegations.

The revelations have led to the former Prince being kicked out of the Royal Lodge, with one woman's lawyer claiming in recent days that she was trafficked by Epstein to the former Prince's Royal Lodge residence in Windsor, Berkshire.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson has told LBC: "We are aware of reports about a woman said to have been taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes.

"We are assessing the information in line with our established procedures. We take any reports of sexual crimes extremely seriously and encourage anyone with information to come forward.

"At this time, these allegations have not been reported to Thames Valley Police by either the lawyer or their client."

Further details of the former prince's relationship with the paedophile financier emerged after more than three million papers relating to the late Epstein were made public last Friday.

Images included appear to show him crouched over an unidentified woman in what seems to be Epstein’s New York mansion.