Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's mother Queen Elizabeth II was 'very keen' on ex-Prince taking on 'prominent role'
Topics: Prince Andrew, The Queen, Royal Family, UK News
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Topics: Prince Andrew, The Queen, Royal Family, UK News
Newly-released documents show Queen Elizabeth II pushed for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's role as UK trade envoy.
The former position recently resulted in Andrew's arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, relating to his service as a special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011.
A message sent from Sir David Wright, the ex-chief executive of British Trade International, to former foreign secretary Rosie Cook in 2000 was included in files made public earlier today, detailing the late monarch's 'wish' for her second son, then Prince Andrew, to attain the high-profile position.
According to Wright, the Queen - who died in October 2022 - had been 'very keen' for Andrew, 61, to assume a 'prominent role in the promotion of national interests'. He also told Cook she hoped her son would succeed the Duke of Kent, who'd served as a special representative for trade at the time.
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Also advocating for the father-of-two, Wright discussed Andrew's ascension to the role involving regional trips overseas, along with a 'leading trade mission from time to time'.
"Finally, we would want the Duke of York to be available to receive prominent trade visitors from overseas here in London and perhaps act as host at meals or receptions as appropriate," he told Cook in the six-year-old memo.
Ministers agreed back in February that the letter, just one of hundreds related to Andrew's stint in the post, would be made public following his arrest by Thames Valley Police.
He was accused at the time of passing on confidential information to the wrong people - namely, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein - after receiving access to senior government and business contacts.
A supporting statement was shared by the UK government upon the release of the files on Thursday (21 May), in which it was ruled that no evidence had been found confirming that Andrew, who vehemently denies any wrongdoing, had been properly vetted for the role.
Junior trade minister, Chris Bryant, announced: "We have found no evidence that a formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken. There is also no evidence that this was considered.
"This is understandable since this new appointment was a continuation of the royal family’s involvement in trade and investment promotion work following the Duke of Kent’s decision to relinquish his duties as Vice-Chairman of the Overseas Trade Board."
Responding to this, Labour MP Sarah Owen told The Independent: "We must expect the highest standards for all who operate in public office domestically and representing our country overseas. Everyone should be subjected to the same due diligence, with no exceptions.
"The days of appointing people without due process because of their family ties or other privileges must be condemned to the past.
Lib Dem leaders also described it as 'shocking and deeply troubling that Andrew was appointed to the trade envoy role with no vetting'.
Wendy Chamberlain, the party's chief whip, added: "Nobody should be above such standards. This raises serious questions about why officials and ministers at the time thought that was acceptable.
"The lack of documentation provided is itself concerning, as is the time it has taken to get this far. We must get the full files from the government without delay, and an explanation about why there is such a small paper trail.
"And the government must commit to mandatory vetting for all similar appointments in future."