UK police force examines claims ex-Prince Andrew sent sensitive trade reports to Epstein

Thames Valley Police launched a formal assessment in London on February 9, 2026, into allegations that the former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, leaked sensitive government trade reports to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The inquiry follows the release of more than 3 million pages of U.S. Justice Department documents, which suggest that the then-prince forwarded confidential details from a 2010 Southeast Asian trade mission to Epstein while serving as Britain’s special envoy for international trade. The reports were brought to police attention by anti-monarchy campaigners who allege the former royal may have violated the Official Secrets Act and committed misconduct in public office. The documents in question appear to show a high level of transparency between the former prince and Epstein, including the sharing of a detailed two-week itinerary covering Hanoi, Saigon, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. Crucially, the correspondence suggests that these communications continued well after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The investigation adds significant legal pressure to the 65-year-old Mountbatten-Windsor, who has already been stripped of his royal titles and military affiliations by King Charles III due to his long-standing association with the late financier. In response to the mounting scandal, the Prince and Princess of Wales issued a statement expressing they are "deeply concerned" by the ongoing revelations, signaling a further effort by the core royal family to distance the monarchy from the controversy. This distancing was physically reinforced last week when King Charles accelerated his brother's eviction from Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle. Mountbatten-Windsor has been relocated to Wood Farm Cottage on the King’s private Sandringham estate, a move intended to reduce the public burden of his security and housing costs while he remains under intense legal and social scrutiny.