Former business secretary Sir Vince Cable has called for a police and government investigation into the conduct of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his tenure as Britain’s trade envoy, following the publication of US Justice Department files apparently showing he shared official and commercial information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The newly released documents suggest that Andrew, who served as Britain’s special envoy for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011, passed British government documents and commercially sensitive material to Epstein.
Sir Vince, who was Minister of State for Business and Trade during part of Andrew’s term, described the alleged behavior as “completely unacceptable” and said the matter should be investigated by law enforcement.
“We need a police or DPP check into whether criminal corruption has taken place and a government investigation into how this could have happened,” he said.
Andrew has consistently and vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
According to the documents, in 2010, Andrew forwarded an email exchange regarding the Royal Bank of Scotland and Aston Martin to a contact, David Stern, who then forwarded it to Epstein. The correspondence reportedly included details of RBS’s restructuring plans and comments about its then chief executive Stephen Hester, as well as references to internal tensions at Aston Martin.
It remains unclear whether the information comes directly from Andrew’s official role. At the time, RBS was majority taxpayer-owned following its financial crisis bailout. Andrew was also a customer of the bank and may have had separate dealings with management.
Additional emails cited in the U.S. files suggest that Andrew may have shared reports of government visits related to Vietnam, Singapore and China with Epstein. Separate correspondence shows that information about Iceland was passed on to banker Jonathan Rowland by Treasury sources.
According to official guidance, trade envoys are bound by confidentiality regarding sensitive commercial and political information received during official visits.
Thames Valley Police confirmed it had consulted specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service about the allegations.
Labor MP Sarah Owens, chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, said Andrew had to answer questions from police and parliament. Fellow Labor MP Rachael Maskell called for greater transparency and accountability and argued that Andrew should be stripped of his remaining constitutional roles.
King Charles has previously expressed “deep concern” about the allegations against his brother. Buckingham Palace said it was “ready to assist police if requested.”
The latest revelations add to the long-running investigation into Andrew’s connection to Epstein. Additional images released in the US document tranche have increased calls for him to testify in the United States.
The former duke recently moved from his residence in Windsor to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk as pressure surrounding the case continues to mount.
