Emails sent to Buckingham Palace six years ago reportedly show that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential information while serving as a government trade envoy, according to reports.
The BBC reported on Saturday that a collection of over 30,000 emails was handed over to the lord chamberlain, the highest-ranking official in the royal household, in 2020. The broadcaster said it had seen court documents suggesting the archive contained details about the former prince’s financial dealings.
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on his 66th birthday in February on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, amid allegations that he passed sensitive government information to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein while working as a government trade envoy. He denies any wrongdoing.
The palace said it was “not possible to provide any comment on these matters” due to the “ongoing police inquiry.”
Thames Valley Police issued a fresh appeal for information last week. The force indicated it could also investigate any allegations of sexual misconduct and is believed to be looking into a claim that the king’s brother behaved inappropriately at Royal Ascot.
The emails sent to the palace in 2020 reportedly came from the account of British businessman Jonathan Rowland, an associate of Mountbatten-Windsor, and were allegedly taken during a dispute with an unnamed colleague. The full contents of the emails are unknown, the BBC said, but they are understood to include correspondence dating up to June 2013.
The broadcaster reported that the emails were later obtained by Kevin Stanford, the former majority owner of the fashion chain All Saints, who had been involved in a separate dispute over investments in the failed Kaupthing Bank, which was linked to Rowland’s father, David.
Earlier this year, the Telegraph reported that Mountbatten-Windsor had requested confidential information from the Treasury in 2010 about the financial crisis in Iceland. The newspaper obtained emails showing he shared details of the briefing with Jonathan Rowland, passing on the information “before you make your move.”
David Rowland had taken over the Luxembourg branch of Kaupthing Bank the previous year. It later became Banque Havilland and faced sanctions from regulators in the UK and the EU.
The BBC said Jonathan Rowland confirmed that the messages had been obtained from his account as part of legal proceedings. It added that it had seen a 2021 document suggesting the archive was sent to the lord chamberlain in May of the previous year.
The emails were reportedly forwarded to the palace just months after Mountbatten-Windsor stepped down as a working royal. Authorities in Monaco and Luxembourg were also informed, the BBC said.
His fall from grace followed a disastrous interview on the BBC’s Newsnight, in which he failed to apologize for his friendship with Epstein. The presenter Emily Maitlis also asked Mountbatten-Windsor about allegations made by the late campaigner Virginia Giuffre.
Giuffre, who died by suicide last year at age 41, claimed she had been trafficked by Epstein to be abused by Mountbatten-Windsor. Although he denied her allegations and said he had never met her, he paid her an out-of-court settlement in 2022, believed to be worth around £12 million.
In May 2020, the role of lord chamberlain was held by Lord Peel. The BBC said it had contacted him, but the palace responded on his behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the report about the Palace receiving emails regarding Prince Andrews role as a trade envoy six years ago
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What is this story about
Its about emails that were sent to Buckingham Palace six years ago which reportedly raised concerns or provided information about Prince Andrews work as a UK trade envoy
2 Who is Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew is the Duke of York and the second son of Queen Elizabeth II He previously served as a UK trade envoy a role where he promoted British business abroad
3 What is a trade envoy
A trade envoy is a person who travels to other countries to help British companies win contracts make deals and boost the UK economy
4 Why are these emails important now
The emails are important because they suggest that the Palace had early warnings or information about Prince Andrews conduct in his trade role years before the recent controversies
AdvancedLevel Questions
5 What did the emails specifically say about Prince Andrews work
The exact contents of the emails have not been fully published but the report indicates they contained information about his conduct business dealings or potential conflicts of interest while acting as a trade envoy
6 Who sent the emails and to whom were they addressed
The report states the emails were sent to the Palace but it does not always name the senders or specific recipients They were likely sent to senior aides or the private secretarys office
7 Did the Palace respond to the emails at the time
According to the report it is unclear if the Palace took any formal action or even acknowledged the emails six years ago The lack of a documented response is a key part of the story
8 How does this relate to the larger controversies around Prince Andrew
This is seen as evidence that the Palace may have been aware of potential problems with Prince Andrews role long before his connection to Jeffrey Epstein became a major public scandal
9 What are the potential consequences of this report
It could lead to further scrutiny of how the Palace handles internal complaints or warnings and it may raise questions about whether Prince Andrew should have been allowed to continue as a trade envoy
Practical Tips Common Problems
10 Does this mean the Palace broke any laws
Not necessarily
