THE late Queen was “very keen” for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to take on a “prominent role in the promotion of national interests”, a senior official told the then-foreign secretary before he was appointed trade envoy in 2001.
In a memo addressed to Robin Cook dated February 25, 2000, then-chief executive of British Trade International, David Wright, said Queen Elizabeth II’s “wish” had been for Mountbatten-Windsor, then the Duke of York, to take on the job.
Wright suggested the role would include some regional trips and two or three overseas visits each year, as well as a “leading trade mission from time to time”.
He said: “Finally, we would want the Duke of York to be available to receive prominent trade visitors from overseas here in London and perhaps act as host at meals or receptions as appropriate.”
The senior official said he “did not envisage that the Duke of York would want to be burdened with the regularity of meetings of the board of British Trade International or the burden of paper which goes along with the board membership”.
He added: “We would nonetheless ensure that he was kept in touch with board developments and issues.”
The memo was released on Thursday as part of a trove of files related to Mountbatten-Windsor's appointment to the post, which gave him access to senior government and business contacts around the world.
The former duke faces accusations of sharing sensitive information with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein while acting as a special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011.
It came after the LibDems tabled a humble address in Parliament calling for the publication of papers on Mountbatten-Windsor's role, including any vetting and any correspondence from disgraced former ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson.
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released under investigation.
The former prince has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
LibDem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said that it was "shocking and deeply troubling that Andrew was appointed to the trade envoy role with no vetting", adding: "Nobody should be above such standards. This raises serious questions about why officials and ministers at the time thought that was acceptable."
The senior MP said that the small amount released about Mountbatten-Windsor was concerning and urged the Government to provide more information about his appointment.
She said: "The lack of documentation provided is itself concerning, as is the time it has taken to get this far. We must get the full files from government without delay, and an explanation about why there is such a small paper trail. And the Government must commit to mandatory vetting for all similar appointments in future.
"The victims and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, and the justice they have been denied for years, are foremost in our minds as this continues.
"We must have a full public inquiry into Epstein, his links to the British establishment, and the abuse he and his associates perpetrated against women and girls here in the UK."
Graham Smith, of the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, said: "The government needs to bring the royals into the full scope of freedom of information laws.
“Why does the government give the royals what they demand? What possible reason was Andrew made a trade ambassador? The reason is pressure from the royals who put their own interests first.
“Royal lobbying should be subject to the same rules of scrutiny as any other kind of lobbying. The Andrew affair makes that demand even more urgent.”
