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PRINCE Andrew told Jeffrey Epstein they should "play some more soon!" in an email - two months after he claimed he cut off contact with the paedo.

Bombshell court documents have revealed new details about the Duke's friendship with the disgraced financier - and contradict the royal's claims.

Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein walking in Central Park.
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Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein go for a stroll together through New York’s Central ParkCredit: Jae Donnelly
Prince Andrew being interviewed by Emily Maitlis.
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Andrew speaking about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC NewsnightCredit: BBC Newsnight
Prince Andrew driving a Range Rover.
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Andrew seen today driving his Range Rover from his Royal Lodge homeCredit: Jon Bond

In his infamous car-crash Newsnight interview, Andrew, 64, claimed he severed ties with Epstein in December 2010.

He said he didn't see or speak to Epstein after they were pictured strolling through Central Park in New York City shortly after the paedo was released from jail for child sex offences.

But emails disclosed in a filing by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reveal he spoke to Epstein in February 2011.

In an email, he told Epstein: "Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!"

More on Prince Andrew

The emails have been exposed as the FCA defends an appeal by former Barclays Bank boss James Edward "Jes" Staley.

Banking chief Staley claimed he stopped direct contact with Epstein after joining Barclays in 2015.

But emails appear to show he was still in touch with the sex offender as late as December 2017.

The relationship with Epstein ultimately cost him his job as in 2023 he was fined £1.8 million for having “recklessly misled” regulators on his ties to the financier.

He was also banned from holding senior management positions in the financial services industry.

Emails previously revealed in 2023 also cast doubt on Andrew's claims he cut Epstein off.

King Charles ‘FINALLY cuts off Prince Andrew and axes his £1m-a-year allowance’ after Jeffrey Epstein scandal

On February 28, 2011, Epstein wrote to Staley: "Andrew asked for your London schedule."

Newly-released emails show Epstein emailed the Duke the day before to say: “Jes staley will be in London on next tue afternoon, if you have time”.

Andrew responded to clarify the date and added: "Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon", according to emails seen by .

The royal has repeatedly strongly denied any wrongdoing in the Epstein scandal - claiming he knew nothing of his criminal behaviour.

Court documents revealed last year claimed Andrew had an "underage orgy" with staying on Epstein's private island.

An unnamed Jane Doe - widely understood to be his accuser Virginia Giuffre - was allegedly "forced" by Epstein to "have sexual relations" with the Duke of York.

She was allegedly told to "give the Prince whatever he demanded".

In 2022, Andrew settled a civil sex assault case with his accuser Virginia Giuffre - sparing him a humiliating court battle over claims he raped and abused her when she was 17.

Photo of Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell.
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The notorious photograph of Andrew with a young Virginia Giuffre, who he settled a sex assault case withCredit: PA
Illustration of Jeffrey Epstein timeline, including accusations and close ties.

During his Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew told Emily Maitlis: "I ceased all contact with [Epstein] after I was aware that he was under investigation and that was later in 2006 and I wasn't in touch with him again until 2010."

When she asked him if there had been any contact, he again stated: "No contact."

Maitlis added: "Did you see or speak to him again?". Andrew said: "No."

Police in Florida began investigating Epstein in 2006, before he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for soliciting a minor for prostitution two years later.

He was then found dead in his prison cell in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.

Late last year, the FBI's investigation into Andrew and his friendship with Epstein was "parked".

US cops paused their probe until “new evidence is presented that can move the case forward”.

It has now also been revealed that a senior adviser to the Duke of York told an alleged Chinese spy that Andrew’s Newsnight interview had been “ill advised”, according to newly released documents.

Close aide Dominic Hampshire thanked Yang Tengbo for standing by Andrew following the interview, tribunal papers claimed.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

In them it states Hampshire told Yang in a 2020 letter: “We have dealt with the aftermath of a hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful television interview.

“We have wisely navigated our way around former Private Secretaries and we have found a way to carefully remove those people who we don’t completely trust.”

Prince Andrew speaking with a man in a suit.
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Suspected Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, was former friends with Andrew
Prince Andrew gesturing during a presentation.
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Prince Andrew, pictured in Shenzhen in 2019
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