Emails detail Prince Andrew’s role in Epstein’s Libya plan

Emails released by US authorities appear to show that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor sought to help Jeffrey Epstein arrange contact with the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, raising fresh questions about the former royal’s conduct while serving as a UK trade envoy.

The correspondence, reported by Channel 4 News on February 14, forms part of a recent release of Epstein-related documents by the US Department of Justice. The emails date from late 2010, a period when Mountbatten-Windsor was still representing British trade interests abroad.

Further emails from Epstein’s archive, dated months before Gaddafi fell, also revealed plans to exploit Libya’s substantial frozen state assets during the chaos of Gaddafi’s fall, with discussions touching on potential roles for former British and Israeli intelligence figures in efforts to access those funds. The scheme highlights the wide scope of Epstein’s global connections and influence.

According to the exchanges with Andrew, Epstein was seeking to secure a role managing money for Muammar Gaddafi, who was then in power in Libya. In messages sent to intermediaries, Epstein suggested that Gaddafi did not know “where to put his money” and explored whether Andrew could facilitate an introduction.

Throughout the emails, Gaddafi is referred to using aliases such as “the father” and “the leader”, apparently to distinguish him from his son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, another prominent public figure. Mountbatten-Windsor had previously met both men during official visits and, in separate correspondence, referred to Gaddafi as the “Brother Leader”, noting that he had a contact close to him.

The timeline suggests steady progress. Messages exchanged on 7 October 2010 indicate that Epstein first raised the idea of travelling to Tripoli, with an associate later confirming that Mountbatten-Windsor was open to organising the visit and wanted further details. Subsequent emails in early November point to Mountbatten-Windsor discussing arrangements with Libyan contacts, at one stage telling Epstein that “Libya [was] fixed”.

However, later correspondence implies the meeting never occurred. Epstein ultimately did not travel to Libya, with his own emails indicating he flew elsewhere instead.

Channel 4, Maghrebi.org