Newly released emails from the US Department of Justice's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein are shedding harsh, unflinching light on just how close the once-untouchable royal formerly known as Prince Andrew remained to the convicted offender after his 2010 release from house arrest. And the tone of those messages is not distant, or cautious. No, it's... celebratory. Yeesh. According to emails first made public in late January and only being dug out of the massive trove now, Epstein reached out on July 24, 2010 - just days after completing his house arrest sentence stemming from child prostitution charges. As previously reported by the Daily Mail, the recipients labeled "The Duke" and "ferg" were believed to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, long known by his Duke of York title before it was stripped, as well as his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Related: Why King Charles Is Hesitant To Punish Andrew Further Over Epstein Ties! Per People and others on Tuesday, Epstein wrote in that first now-infamous email: "I will be in paris starting tomorrow." At the time, Epstein had just finished serving 13 months in prison and a year of house arrest following convictions that included soliciting prostitution from someone under 18. The gravity of those crimes cannot be overstated. And yet the response he received was not one of condemnation. Instead, "The Duke" replied: "Congratulations! DS told me you were allowed out from yesterday. How long in Paris for? I am back in London from 16th. A" "Congratulations." It's a word that echoes loudly now, in light of everything we know. Epstein responded with even more chilling enthusiasm about his plans and prospects: "Im totally complete and done will be in paris for a while. then the ranch in new mexico. .. there is so much opportunity here Ive had non stop all day meetings and my friends are super flush with cash, and nothing to do." He continued, invoking billionaire financier Leon Black by name: "Let's get moving. ie. Leon black is sitting with 20 billion dollars , and hungry for deals." And then came the reply that feels impossible to reconcile with the public duties Andrew was sworn to uphold at the time. Serving as the United Kingdom's trade envoy - a role he held from 2001 to 2011 after retiring from the Royal Navy - he wrote back: "Really, really good news. If you are in Paris around the 16th I'll be across to pay homage to your new life ahead! ... And as far as things to do I have, with DS, a good brain to make things happen. Even looking at purchases from government of up to £3B each." The email was signed "A" and "HRH The Duke of York KG," referencing the Knight of the Garter honor bestowed upon him by his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 2006. It is that mention of potential government purchases - billions of pounds' worth, no less - that now raises even more troubling questions. Earlier this year, on his 66th birthday, Andrew was arrested at Sandringham on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid allegations he may have shared confidential information with Epstein while acting as trade envoy. He has denied wrongdoing and was released after approximately 11 hours in custody. Related: Trump Says It's 'A Very Sad Thing' Andrew Got Arrested Amid Epstein Files Fallout Of course, the unraveling began long before that. Epstein's death in jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges intensified scrutiny worldwide. Andrew's own catastrophic interview on BBC Newsnight that November only deepened public outrage. And last October, his brother, King Charles III, took the unprecedented step of removing his princely titles altogether. What these emails reveal is not just association, but tone. Warmth. Eagerness. A willingness to "pay homage" to a man freshly released after crimes involving minors. Ew... There is something profoundly sobering about seeing those words in black and white - a direct correspondence that suggests a level of comfort and connection that the public has struggled for years to understand. History has already marked this chapter as a tragic stain on the monarchy. These emails only make that stain darker. [Image via Florida Department of Law Enforcement/BBC Newsnight/YouTube] The post Disgraced Former Prince Andrew Celebrated Jeffrey Epstein's 2010 Release From House Arrest Like HOW?! appeared first on Perez Hilton.