A former business secretary has demanded a formal investigation into potential corruption during Prince Andrew’s tenure as a UK trade envoy, following revelations that he may have shared sensitive government information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Sir Vince Cable, who served as secretary of state for business and trade during part of Andrew’s time in the role, described the alleged behavior as “totally unacceptable” and called for both police and prosecutorial scrutiny of whether criminal corruption occurred.
Leaked Documents Reveal Information Sharing
Recently released files from the US Department of Justice suggest that the Duke of York forwarded confidential UK government documents and commercial intelligence to Epstein during his decade-long role as trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
Among the alleged disclosures was an email exchange in 2010 regarding the Royal Bank of Scotland and Aston Martin. The communication, which Andrew reportedly passed to contact David Stern who then forwarded it to Epstein, contained details about RBS restructuring plans and critical assessments of then-CEO Stephen Hester. The correspondence also referenced internal conflicts at Aston Martin.
Additional evidence suggests Andrew shared government reports from official visits to Vietnam, Singapore, and China with Epstein the same year. Separate emails indicate he may have transmitted Treasury information about Iceland to banking associate Jonathan Rowland.
Official Guidelines and Duties
Trade envoys are bound by strict confidentiality requirements regarding sensitive commercial and political information obtained during official visits. Andrew’s global travels in this capacity provided him with privileged access to senior government officials and business leaders worldwide.
The Royal Bank of Scotland was majority-owned by taxpayers at the time of the alleged information sharing, raising additional concerns about the misuse of public assets.
Growing Political Pressure
Thames Valley Police confirmed Wednesday that they have consulted with Crown Prosecution Service specialists regarding allegations that Andrew shared confidential trade envoy reports with Epstein.
Labour MPs are intensifying calls for accountability. Sarah Owens, chair of the women and equalities committee, insisted Andrew must face questioning from both police and Parliament. Her colleague Rachael Maskell accused Andrew of being “conservative with the truth” and demanded full transparency about his activities.
Maskell went further, suggesting Andrew should lose his succession rights to the throne and his position as a councillor of state, arguing he should be reduced to “Andrew the citizen” who is “fully accountable.”
Royal Response and Ongoing Scrutiny
King Charles has expressed “profound concern” over the misconduct allegations against his brother. Buckingham Palace stated it stands ready to assist police if approached for cooperation in any investigation.
The controversy continues to intensify following the latest document release, which included compromising photographs of Andrew. He faces mounting pressure to provide testimony in the United States regarding his connections to Epstein and has recently relocated from Windsor to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Andrew has consistently and categorically denied any wrongdoing throughout the ongoing scrutiny of his relationship with Epstein and his conduct as trade envoy.
Photo by Sandip Roy on Unsplash
Photo by Neil Martin on Unsplash
