British authorities are investigating allegations that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with Jeffrey Epstein.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice on January 30 appear to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore.
One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent by his then-special advisor, Amit Patel. The former duke made the visits in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010, conducting meetings and trade talks.
Additionally, on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Today, a Thames Valley Police spokesman told the Daily Mail: ‘We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures.’
Andrew could now face prosecution after Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic, reported him to the force which polices the Windsor area.
Mr Smith tweeted today: ‘I have now reported Andrew to the @ThamesVP for suspected misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets in relation to these specific allegations. I cannot see any significant difference between these allegations and those against Peter Mandelson.’
Andrew could technically be criminally prosecuted, given that the King is the only member of the Royal Family who has sovereign immunity. In 2002, Princess Anne became the first Royal Family member to be convicted of a criminal offence when she was fined £500 after one of her dogs bit two children in Windsor Great Park.
Mr Smith later told the Daily Mail that ‘past experience’ of previous complaints he has made would suggest police will take no action in this case, but added: ‘We’re getting into unprecedented territory. This lack of action is becoming unsustainable. We’ll have to wait and see.’
He cited how detectives launched an investigation into Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office last week, adding that the case had ‘thrown a spotlight onto this lack of action’ by the Royal Family and there was now a ‘very clear blueprint’.
Mr Smith also said he believed heckling of Royal Family members over the Epstein case was ‘going to carry on’ because ‘people are not happy’ – and this could force the royals into further action because they do ‘not like that challenging in their face’.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan also said on X: ‘After today’s revelations that Andrew leaked confidential trade envoy secrets to Epstein, King Charles should order him to be interviewed by UK police about that, and by US investigators about wider Epstein scandal. If Andrew refuses, banish him.’
Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.