Documents show Queen Elizabeth was eager for ex-Prince Andrew to become trade envoy

(21 May 2026)
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ARCHIVE: London, 21 May 2019
1. Wide of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Andrew standing as national anthem plays

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21 May 2026
2. STILL Print out copies of documents released by the British government are photographed in London, Thursday, May 21, 2026 revealing that Queen Elizabeth II was eager for Prince Andrew to become the U.K. trade envoy. (AP Photo ID: 26141388398600/Frank Augstein)

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London, United Kingdom - 21 May 2026
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Craig Prescott, royal expert:
"Well it shows that she was taking an interest in Andrew's work after leaving the Royal Navy and showing that she really wanted Andrew to have some substantive role effectively to replace that. And once the message came through that the Queen wanted the Duke of York to have this role, then the Duke would have this role. It's sort of, you know, there was no real question about it."

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ARCHIVE: London, 9 June 2018
4. Wide of Queen Elizabeth II and members of family including Prince Andrew (standing next to queen) on balcony watching Royal Air Force fly by

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London, United Kingdom - 21 May 2026
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Craig Prescott, royal expert:
"Yes, it's like, in a sense, if the queen makes it clear that that's her wish, that's the end of the argument, and so you know, Her Majesty's civil service as it was then would have to deal with it on that basis."

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ARCHIVE: Hillington - 19 January 2020
6. Various of Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by her son, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, at Church of St Mary the Virgin and entering church
STORYLINE:
The late Queen Elizabeth II was “very keen” for former Prince Andrew to be named Britain’s trade envoy in 2001, according to documents released Thursday that showed his appointment received little scrutiny from government ministers.

The government released confidential papers related to the appointment in response to legislation passed by Parliament after lawmakers accused the king’s brother of putting his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein ahead of the nation. The former prince was stripped of his royal titles, including Duke of York, last year and is now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

“The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests,” the head of Britain’s trade body wrote to two senior cabinet ministers on Feb. 25, 2000.

The involvement of the late queen confirms previously held beliefs that the monarch had a soft spot for her second son, which may have influenced her lack of decisiveness in dealing with allegations about his links to Epstein. Royal commentators have for years suggested that the queen should have moved quicker to remove her son from royal duties, and her failure to do so tarnished the monarchy.

Mountbatten-Windsor served as Britain’s special envoy for international trade from 2001 to 2011, when he was forced to give up the role because of concerns about his links to questionable figures in Libya and Azerbaijan.

If nothing else, the documents suggest Elizabeth worried about him, said Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London.
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