British Government to Release Prince Andrew Trade Envoy Documents

The UK government has agreed to release vetting files related to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's appointment as a trade envoy following his recent arrest. The former Prince Andrew faces scrutiny over his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations he shared confidential documents.

LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration announced Tuesday it will make public records connected to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s selection as a trade representative, as questions mount about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The decision comes after Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest last week, which prompted several members of Parliament to question whether traditional rules protecting the royal family from legislative criticism should continue.

Mountbatten-Windsor, previously called Prince Andrew, became the first British royal family member arrested in over 300 years when police detained him on allegations of misconduct in public office.

He has consistently rejected any wrongdoing regarding Epstein and has expressed regret about their association.

During parliamentary discussions, junior trade minister Chris Bryant described Mountbatten-Windsor as engaging in “a constant self-aggrandising, self-enriching hustle” while serving as envoy.

Bryant characterized Mountbatten-Windsor as “a rude, arrogant and entitled man who could not distinguish between the public interest which he said he served, and his own private interest.”

The late Queen Elizabeth’s second son held the position of UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment from 2001 through 2011, an unpaid position that enabled him to meet with top business leaders and government officials worldwide.

Law enforcement launched their investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor after the U.S. government released correspondence last month that seemingly demonstrated he had shared official documents with Epstein during his tenure as trade representative. Such sharing typically violates confidentiality protocols for trade envoys.

Opposition party legislators took turns condemning Mountbatten-Windsor, with at least four calling for an end to parliamentary traditions that shield royals from criticism.

“These arcane rules make a mockery of our democracy,” stated Brendan O’Hara, a Scottish National Party parliament member. “Nobody, regardless of rank or privilege, should or must be above the law.”

The House of Commons Speaker permitted lawmakers to debate the former prince because he no longer holds royal family status after losing his titles.

The Liberal Democrats pressured the government through an old parliamentary process called a humble address to force disclosure of all appointment-related documents.

Bryant announced the government’s support for the measure, which passed without opposition.

Attendance was light among both ruling Labour Party members and Conservative opposition representatives.

Bryant indicated he would work to expedite document release, though officials must verify it won’t compromise the ongoing police investigation.

Making these vetting records public could create embarrassment for officials who worked under then-Prime Minister Tony Blair when the appointment occurred, as well as British royal family members facing their most serious crisis in nine decades due to Mountbatten-Windsor’s Epstein connections.

Mountbatten-Windsor has remained silent since the U.S. government published over 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents. Epstein received a conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.

Those records indicated that in 2010, Mountbatten-Windsor sent Epstein official trip reports covering Vietnam, Singapore and other locations he had visited.