British authorities have begun assessing allegations that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential reports from his time as the UK’s trade envoy with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Emails released by the US Department of Justice on January 30 appear to show the former duke forwarding reports from official trade visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. One of the emails, dated November 2010, was reportedly forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after it was sent to him by his then special adviser, Amit Patel. The trips were undertaken in late 2010 during his tenure as a trade envoy, during which he held meetings and trade discussions.
The disclosures also suggest that on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew shared a confidential briefing with Epstein concerning investment opportunities linked to the reconstruction of Helmand province in Afghanistan. Responding to the reports, a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police told the Daily Mail that the force had received the complaint and was assessing the information in line with its standard procedures.
The matter was reported to the police by Graham Smith, chief executive of the anti-monarchy group Republic, who said Andrew could face prosecution over the allegations.In a post on social media, Smith said he had reported Andrew to Thames Valley Police for suspected misconduct in public office and potential breaches of official secrets, arguing that the claims were comparable to recent allegations made against Peter Mandelson.
Andrew does not enjoy sovereign immunity, which is reserved solely for the monarch, meaning he could technically face criminal prosecution. In 2002, Princess Anne became the first member of the Royal Family to be convicted of a criminal offence after being fined £500 when one of her dogs attacked two children in Windsor Great Park.Smith later told the Daily Mail that based on his previous experiences, he did not expect the police to take action, but said the situation was entering new territory and that continued inaction was becoming increasingly difficult to justify.
He referenced the recent police investigation into Peter Mandelson, saying it had drawn attention to what he described as a pattern of limited accountability and had provided a clear precedent.mith also said he believed public heckling of members of the Royal Family over their links to Epstein would continue, noting that public dissatisfaction could eventually force further action, as the royals were uncomfortable with direct public confrontation. Broadcaster Piers Morgan also weighed in, saying on X that following the revelations, King Charles should instruct Andrew to cooperate with UK police and US investigators, and suggested that refusal should result in further consequences. Andrew has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Source: https://m.lindaikejisblog.com/
026/2/police-probe-claims-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-shared-confidential-information-from-his-role-as-uks-trade-envoy-with-jeffrey-epstein.html
