Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II actively pushed for her son, Prince Andrew, to be appointed as a high-profile trade envoy, according to official documents released by the British government on Thursday. The documents, dated from 2000, shed new light on the controversial role held by the disgraced former prince from 2001 to 2011.
Royal Intervention for Trade Role
The 11 documents released discuss the appointment of Prince Andrew as a special envoy for British Trade International (BTI), an organization tasked with promoting the UK abroad. Following a "wide-ranging conversation" with the Queen's private secretary, BTI head David Wright wrote to the then-foreign minister, stating that it was the Queen's "wish" that Andrew, then the Duke of York, be appointed to the role.
"The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests," said the letter dated February 25, 2000. A month earlier, in a message with the subject line "Duke of York's travel," head of protocol Kathryn Colvin advised that the Duke of York "should not be offered golfing functions abroad." Colvin also noted that the former duke preferred "more sophisticated countries" and "liked travelling, especially when on royal business."
Scandal and Fallout
The release of these documents comes amid the ongoing fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his remaining royal titles following the release of US files related to Epstein last year, was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to the late American sex offender. He is accused of sharing sensitive information with Epstein during his time as an official trade envoy. The former prince was released after being questioned for hours by police and has not been charged. He denies any wrongdoing.
No Vetting Process
During his tenure as envoy, Prince Andrew was dubbed "Air Miles Andy" as he traveled extensively, with expenses including luxury hotels covered by taxpayers. In a written statement to parliament, Trade Minister Chris Bryant said, "We have found no evidence that a formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken." However, he added that this was "understandable" as the appointment was a continuation of the Royal Family's involvement in trade and investment promotion.
Peter Mandelson, former UK ambassador to the US who was sacked over his ties to Epstein, is also being investigated for misconduct in public office when he was a government minister in the 2000s. The Liberal Democrat party, which pushed for the release of the documents, has also requested the publication of any correspondence between Mandelson and Prince Andrew.
The former duke has been embroiled in scandals over his friendship with Epstein. Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, claimed she was trafficked three times to have sex with the British royal, starting in 2001 and twice when she was 17. Prince Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Giuffre while not admitting liability.
