UK Finds No Vetting for Andrew's 2001 Trade Role as Queen Elizabeth II Backed Appointment
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 21
UK Finds No Vetting for Andrew's 2001 Trade Role as Queen Elizabeth II Backed Appointment
5 articles · Updated · CNN · May 21
Chris Bryant told lawmakers the government found no evidence Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor underwent any formal vetting or due diligence before becoming trade envoy in 2001.
A 41-page dossier released Thursday showed Queen Elizabeth II pushed for the appointment, with a 2000 memo saying she was "very keen" for her son to take a prominent trade role.
The papers were published after Liberal Democrats demanded records following Andrew's February arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office tied to newly released US Justice Department Epstein files.
Those US documents appeared to show Andrew shared confidential 2010 Asia trip details and post-visit reports with Jeffrey Epstein while serving in a role bound by ministerial confidentiality rules.
Andrew, who quit the unpaid envoy post in 2011 and lost his royal title last year, denies wrongdoing as the disclosures renew scrutiny of royal involvement in government trade promotion.
How did the UK's elite enable a 'no-vetting' appointment for a royal to a sensitive national security role?
With a royal and a Lord arrested, which other powerful figures might the widening Epstein misconduct investigation implicate?
Can an ancient misconduct charge truly hold a modern royal accountable, or is the legal bar intentionally too high?