King Charles has expressed his “profound concern” over allegations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and will “stand ready to support” the police if approached over the claims, Buckingham Palace has said.
Thames Valley police confirmed on Monday they were assessing claims that Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential reports from his role as a government trade envoy with the child sex offender and financier in 2010.
Mountbatten-Windsor is suspected of forwarding official reports about overseas trips to Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Vietnam in 2010 and 2011, allegations which have emerged after the release of emails by the US Department of Justice earlier this month.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said on Monday evening: “The king 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.”
The spokesperson added that the “specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address”, but said that “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,” they said.
Thames Valley police previously confirmed it was also assessing a report that a second woman claimed she was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with the then prince, which allegedly occurred at his former Royal Lodge residence in 2010. The woman, who is not British, was in her 20s at the time.
The release of documents includes emails indicating that on 7 October 2010, the then Prince Andrew sent Epstein details of his official upcoming trips to Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong. After the trip, on 30 November, he appears to have forwarded official reports of those visits sent by his then special assistant, Amit Patel, to Epstein, five minutes after receiving them.
It is unclear if the documents contained market-sensitive information about British trade deals or whether the then prince had signed the Official Secrets Act.
Government guidance stresses that the role of a trade envoy carries a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive information. This may include “sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits”, the guidance reads. “This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply.”
Earlier on Monday William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were said by a spokesperson to be “deeply concerned” by continuing revelations from the Epstein files.
In a statement, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”
William arrived on Monday in Saudi Arabia for a three-day tour of the country, and Kensington Palace is said to have wanted the position of the prince and princess to be known to allow William to focus on the tour. Much of the work of the royal family has been overshadowed since the release by the US Department of Justice of more than 3m documents associated with Epstein.
Previously disclosed emails have suggested that the former duke had lobbied on behalf of Epstein during an official visit to the United Arab Emirates with his parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, in 2010.
The messages concerning overseas trips were sent after the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Others appear to have been sent after the December 2010 date that Mountbatten-Windsor said in a BBC Newsnight interview in 2019 that he had cut off contact with Epstein.
On Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Telegraph reported. In one email, with the subject line “Afghanistan International Investment opportunities”, Mountbatten-Windsor is said to have written: “I am going to offer this elsewhere in my network (including Abu Dhabi) but would be very interested in your comments, views or ideas as to whom I could also usefully show this to attract some interest.”
In another, on 9 February 2011, Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to tell Epstein he had visited a private equity firm the week before and “thought of you as =ou [sic] were looking for somewhere for money to go. A”.
Mountbatten-Windsor, who served as the UK’s special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011, has always denied any wrongdoing. He has been approached for comment.
Graham Smith, the chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said he had reported the allegations to police. “I cannot see any significant difference between these allegations and those against Peter Mandelson,” he said in a post on X.
The former prince features numerous times in the latest release of documents, including images that appear to show him crouched over an unidentified woman in what appears to be Epstein’s New York mansion, while another document appears to confirm that the picture of him with Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor had sex with her three times while she was a teenager, is real.
Prince Edward was the first royal to speak publicly since the Epstein documents were released, saying last week that it was important to “remember the victims” when asked how he was coping since the revelations.
William’s visit, at the request of the UK government, will include talks with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.
The visit aims to strengthen ties with one of the UK’s closest Middle East allies, with London and Riyadh hopeful the two men, who have met before, will develop a connection.
Prince Mohammed is a controversial figure to the west, as the de facto head of an absolute monarchy whose regime has been accused of human rights violations. His reputation was badly damaged by a US intelligence claim he had ordered the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which he denied.
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