Andrew had 'consensual sex' with Virginia, unredacted email in Epstein Files offers first written account

Unredacted emails exchanged between Jeffrey Epstein and a journalist surfaced on Tuesday (January 17), reportedly confirming long-standing allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor linked to Virginia Giuffre. The email shows that Epstein did not deny when the journalist stated that Andrew slept with the trafficking victim. A statement in the email suggests that the Duke of York had "consensual sex" with Virginia, a point the journalist clearly wrote in the email.

Andrew has consistently and categorically denied ever meeting Virginia, but the email exchange is being highlighted since Epstein does not dispute the journalist's assertion that the encounter took place. It is the first written corroboration that Andrew slept with Virginia. Despite denying meeting Giuffre, Andrew paid her $12million to settle her sexual assault lawsuit in 2022.

In an email from January 16, 2015, Epstein told New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr that after Virginia accused him of trafficking her at the age of 17 for sex with Andrew in the early 2000s, his reputation had taken a hit. Thomas Jr advised Epstein to publicly confirm that Andrew had sex with Virginia since it was the royal who was "keeping the story alive". He told him, "Until you are able to come forward and address that the story lives on."

The journalist wrote, "I think the big issue is separating yourself from Andrew. I mean in the end he had consensual sex with VR. And VR worked for you. The rest is atmospherics. You have moved on! People don't know that and cant accept that unless you say as much". He added, "I mean I can see why a statement might help in some way -- but its [sic] Andrew (not Clinton and the rest) that is keeping the story alive".

Read the email here

Epstein does not respond in any way to the "Andrew having sex with Virginia" statement made by Landon Thomas Jr. Instead, he shifts to talking about how he was affected by the trafficking allegation made by Virginia. Epstein wrote in the email, "I am considering a statement and positon (sic) that Out of respect and love for my former girlfrend (sic) I have tried to keep her out of my mess." Epstein added, "she was never questioned , or subpeonaed. her name never surfaced.."

He asserts that his "girlfriend" travelled everywhere with him and was "on the plane many many times". Epstein goes on to say that "She never saw anything that (redcated) claims. She can confirm 1. I was never alone at the house. staff, friends etc. , no girl ever complained , not once." Epstein also claims to the reporter that his girlfriend knows that "clinton was never on the island. 6 she knows no sex with steven hawking, she knows no sex with ehud as he was also never on the island."

The email has been out since December 2025, although the names were redacted at the time. An unredacted version now shows the names of the two men. Virginia Roberts is referred to as VR in the exchange that has been unearthed from the latest tranche of Epstein Files the Department of Justice released on January 30, 2026. Landon Thomas Jr. no longer works for New York Times.

The Epstein Files show that Landon Thomas Jr tried to warn Epstein about the impending upheaval as other journalists were "digging around" for stories. Landon told Epstein that he referred to him as "a hell of a guy" to people he met. The journalist was embroiled in a controversy as claims emerged that he asked Epstein to make a $30,000 charitable donation to a Harlem cultural centre in 2017. He quit the NYT after this.