British police are looking into a claim that former Prince Andrew shared confidential trade documents with disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a U.K. trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police, which serves the area west of London, including Windsor, one of the British royal family’s residences, said it was assessing new allegations against the younger brother of King Charles III.
“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” the police said in a statement.
The recent release by the Justice Department of millions of documents related to Epstein has intensified a storm that has raged around the former prince, now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his relationship with the convicted sex offender.
According to Republic, an anti-monarchy organization, it has instructed lawyers to “consider a private prosecution against Andrew over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office.”
At the center of the latest controversy is an email exchange from Nov. 30, 2010, from the latest release of Epstein files.
The email chain, seen by NBC News, appears to show the former prince forwarding to Epstein “visit reports for Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shenzhen” in relation to the royal's recent visit to South East Asia.
The email from Amit Patel, who signed as the special adviser to the then-Duke of York, appeared to contain an attached doc file and was forwarded to Epstein within five minutes of receipt, the documents show. NBC News could not confirm what exactly was in the documents attached titled VR_HONG_KONG_OCT2010_vFINAL.doc; VR_SHENZHEN_OCT2010_vFINAL.doc;VR_SINGAPORE_OCT2010_vFINAL.doc; VR_VIETNAM_OCT2010_vFINAL.doc
NBC News is reaching out to Patel for comment.
Trade envoys are usually barred from sharing sensitive or commercial documents under confidentiality rules.
The Nov. 2010 email isn’t the only one that references Mountbatten-Windsor’s trips abroad. In a Sept. 2010 email, David Stern, an aide to then-prince, tells Epstein that Mountbatten-Windsor was planning a trip to Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Then, in Oct. 2010, Stern messaged Epstein via Skype, “Back in hong kong from Shenzhen.” NBC News has not been able to reach Stern for comment.
Queen Elizabeth II's second son served as the United Kingdom's special representative for international trade and investment between 2001 and 2011. The U.K. government Department for Business and Trade told NBC News that it is ready to help police assess the allegations. He was stripped of his royal titles last year and has become estranged from the royal family over his ties to Epstein.
One of the most prominent survivors of Epstein’s sexual abuse, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, had alleged that the financier trafficked her to his powerful friends, including Andrew, against whom she filed a lawsuit in 2021 alleging that the former prince sexually abused her when she was 17.
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied having had sex with Giuffre. He stepped back from active royal duties in 2019 amid the controversy, and reached a legal settlement with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount in 2022.
Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his affiliation with Epstein. NBC News has reached out to his office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in a statement that King Charles III "has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct. While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect. As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse."
Prince William and Princess Kate have also expressed their concern. “I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told journalists on Monday.
