Documents show Queen Elizabeth was eager for ex-Prince Andrew to become trade envoy
Yahoo • • world
Key Points:
- Documents released reveal that the late Queen Elizabeth II was strongly supportive of appointing Prince Andrew as Britain's trade envoy in 2001, with little government scrutiny of the decision.
- Prince Andrew served as special envoy for international trade from 2001 to 2011 but was forced to step down amid concerns about his associations with controversial figures in Libya and Azerbaijan.
- There was no formal due diligence or vetting process before his appointment, as it continued a tradition of royal family involvement in trade promotion, according to Trade Minister Chris Bryant.
- Some officials expressed reservations about certain activities for Prince Andrew in the role, such as avoiding public golfing events, and emphasized the need for careful media management due to his high public profile.
- The release of these documents follows parliamentary pressure after allegations regarding Andrew's links to Jeffrey Epstein and concerns over sharing government information, leading to his removal of royal titles and ongoing police investigations.