Documents show Queen Elizabeth was eager for ex-prince Andrew to become trade envoy

“The Queen is very keen to see the Duke of York take a prominent role in promoting national interests,” the head of Britain’s trade body wrote to two senior ministers on February 25, 2000.

The queen was worried about her son

The late queen’s involvement confirms previously held beliefs that the monarch had a soft spot for her second son, which may have influenced her lack of decisiveness in dealing with allegations about his ties to Epstein. Royal commentators have suggested for years that the queen should have acted more quickly to remove her son from royal duties, and her inability to do so has tarnished the monarchy.

Mountbatten-Windsor served as Britain’s special envoy for international trade from 2001 to 2011, when he was forced to relinquish the role over concerns about his links to questionable figures in Libya and Azerbaijan.

The documents show that Elizabeth was concerned about him, said Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London.

“It’s like, in a sense, if the queen makes it clear that this is her wish, that’s the end of the discussion,” Prescott said.

“Her Majesty’s civil service, as it then was, should deal with it on that basis.”

Lawmakers approved a motion in February demanding the documents’ release after the former prince was arrested and interrogated for hours over allegations that he shared government reports with Epstein while he was a trade envoy.

Documents show Mountbatten-Windsor was appointed with little care

Commerce Secretary Chris Bryant said in a written statement to lawmakers that “we have found no evidence that any formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken” before Mountbatten-Windsor was appointed to the role of special trade envoy.

“There is also no evidence that this was considered. This is understandable as this new appointment was a continuation of the Royal Family’s commitment to promoting trade and investment following the Duke of Kent’s decision to step down from his duties as Deputy Chairman of the Overseas Trade Board,” he said.

He said the government was working with Thames Valley Police in their investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor and possible misconduct in public office.

Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles late last year as the US Department of Justice prepared to release millions of pages of documents related to its investigation into Epstein. Those files showed how the wealthy financier used an international web of wealthy, powerful friends to gain influence and sexually exploit young women and girls.

Nowhere have the consequences of the release of documents been felt more keenly than in Britain, where the scandal has raised questions about the way power is wielded by the aristocracy, senior politicians and influential entrepreneurs, collectively known as ‘the establishment’.

Mountbatten-Windsor has strongly denied all allegations.

Officials suggested not offering the former prince golf trips

However, there were indications that some had reservations about giving Mountbatten-Windsor the high-profile trading role, with his effectiveness hinging on his credibility.

The back and forth suggested that while officials may not have questioned his appointment, they were involved in making suggestions about what he should not do in the role.

Kathryn Colvin, chief of protocol at the State Department, wrote in a January 2000 memo that Andrew’s private secretary “requested that the Duke of York should not be offered golfing positions abroad.”

“This was a private activity and if he brought his clubs he would not be playing in any public capacity,” she wrote.

Another document, a government memo sent to British trade officials around the world, warned that Mountbatten-Windsor’s “high public profile” will require “careful and sometimes strict media management”.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get the latest news and exclusive stories first by following us on all platforms.