London, United Kingdom. The British government on Thursday published documents on the 2001 appointment of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a trade envoy, saying it found no evidence that formal due diligence or security vetting was carried out at the time.
Parliamentary request and document release
The government agreed to release the documents after an opposition party used a rare parliamentary device to request the publication of files about the appointment of Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of Britain’s King Charles.
Minister’s statement on vetting
“We have found no evidence that a formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken. There is also no evidence that this was considered,” Chris Bryant, a junior trade minister, said in a written statement to parliament.
Role and tenure
Mountbatten-Windsor, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, served as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment between 2001 and 2011, an unpaid role that allowed him to travel and meet senior business and government figures.
Earlier arrest and denial of wrongdoing
Formerly known as Prince Andrew, Mountbatten-Windsor was the first member of the British royal family to be arrested in more than three centuries earlier this year when he was questioned by officers on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and said he regrets their friendship.
What do you think the document release indicates about how such appointments were handled at the time?