Queen Elizabeth actively backed Prince Andrew's appointment as a trade envoy, according to newly released government documents. The late monarch expressed a "wish" for her son to assume a "prominent role" in diplomatic efforts, the papers reveal.
The disclosure comes years after Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 following his disastrous BBC interview about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. At that time, Buckingham Palace said the Duke of York would withdraw from royal engagements and charity patronages.
The newly released files show Elizabeth was "very keen" on the trade envoy position for Andrew during an earlier period. The role would have positioned him as a representative for British commercial interests abroad, a function typically reserved for senior royals with strong reputations.
The timing of these documents raises questions about the royal family's judgment during the period before Andrew's 2019 withdrawal became necessary. The papers indicate Elizabeth's support for her son's public profile at a time when institutional awareness of his Epstein associations should have been clearer.
Andrew's involvement with Epstein and subsequent civil lawsuit from Virginia Giuffre accelerated his departure from public life. He settled the case in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing but paid a reported £12 million in damages.
These records provide fresh insight into the late Queen's protective stance toward her second son. Elizabeth's death in September 2022 shifted the monarchy's tone under King Charles III, who has taken a harder line on standards for working royals. The documents underline the generational difference in how the royal family has addressed accountability and public perception.