MPs are considering whether to investigate Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor over his conduct while serving as a UK trade envoy, after fresh allegations emerged from newly released US court documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The chair of the cross-party Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne, confirmed that the committee will meet next Tuesday to decide whether a formal parliamentary inquiry should be launched once Parliament returns from recess.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Byrne said MPs were taking the allegations “acutely seriously” and stressed that no options were being ruled out at this stage.
“We are not in the market for letting anything slip through the cracks,” Byrne said. “My job as chair is to ensure that the committee has all the options in front of it when we meet and decide how we might or might not take this investigation forward.”
Allegations Linked to Newly Released Epstein Files
The renewed scrutiny follows the publication of files by the US Department of Justice which appear to show that Mountbatten-Windsor forwarded sensitive government material and commercial briefings to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in 2019.
The former Duke of York has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has rejected claims that he used his role as trade envoy to advance personal or private interests. Being named in the Epstein files does not in itself amount to evidence of criminal conduct.
Trade Envoy Role and Confidentiality Duties
Mountbatten-Windsor served as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment between 2001 and 2011. The role gave him access to senior political figures, global business leaders and confidential government briefings aimed at promoting British commercial interests overseas.
According to the documents now in the public domain, he appears to have forwarded reports prepared by UK officials following trade visits to Vietnam, Singapore and China in 2010. The files also suggest he shared information on potential investment opportunities in gold and uranium in Afghanistan.
Under official guidance, trade envoys are bound by strict duties of confidentiality, particularly regarding sensitive political, commercial and security-related material arising from official visits.
Police Assessments Already Underway
Earlier this month, Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing whether there are grounds to investigate a complaint submitted by the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic. The complaint alleges suspected misconduct in public office and potential breaches of official secrets laws.
Separately, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has announced the creation of a national coordination group to support police forces reviewing allegations linked to the Epstein document releases. While the group will not itself conduct investigations, it is intended to ensure consistency across forces handling related assessments.
Parliamentary Powers and Limits
Select committees theoretically have the authority to summon witnesses and compel evidence as part of their inquiries. However, these powers do not extend to members of the Royal Family, and any appearance by a royal before a parliamentary committee would be unprecedented.
In practice, committees have limited enforcement mechanisms if a witness declines to attend, further complicating any potential inquiry.
Byrne said he could not pre-judge the outcome of the committee’s discussions but emphasised that “nothing is off the table” when MPs meet next week.
Growing Calls for Accountability
Byrne is the latest senior figure to suggest that Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct as trade envoy warrants closer scrutiny. Vince Cable, who oversaw part of Andrew’s tenure as trade envoy, has previously said police should examine whether criminal corruption occurred and called for a broader government investigation into how such conduct was allowed.
King Charles has previously indicated that Buckingham Palace would cooperate with police should formal investigations proceed, underscoring the seriousness of the allegations now being examined by both law enforcement and Parliament.