Epstein files: UK government says it will release files on ex-prince Andrew - Le Monde

Britain's government committed to releasing documents on ex-prince Andrew's past role as a trade envoy on Tuesday, February 24, after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal widened with the arrest of veteran British politician Peter Mandelson.

The fallout from last month's publication of millions of files related to Epstein, a deceased sex offender and financier, released by the United States Department of Justice, has rocked the United Kingdom's monarchy and political circles. It has piled pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government to release documents on both Andrew and ex-minister Mandelson, who are now subjects of high-profile police investigations.

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Minister Chris Bryant told parliament that the government would release vetting documents on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's appointment as trade envoy, a post he held from 2001 to 2011. Bryant said publishing the documents was "the least we owe the victims" of Epstein, adding that Andrew was "a rude, arrogant and entitled man."

'Stain on our country'

The minister's statement came after the third-largest party in the House of Commons, the Liberal Democrats, deployed a little-used parliamentary mechanism intended to force ministers to disclose files. The party's motion, a measure known as a "humble address," dates back to when Tony Blair was Labour prime minister, 26 years ago. It passed without a vote, due to the government's support.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said Andrew's association with Epstein, and that of Mandelson, who was bailed in the early hours of Tuesday, were a "stain on our country." "We must begin to clean away that stain with the disinfectant of transparency," he said.

While Bryant committed to publishing the documents, he said he wanted to "manage people's expectations" about how quickly the papers can be released, due to the age and quantity of the material, as well as the police probe. He added that the government would first have to receive police guidance on which documents could be released, so as not to jeopardise their investigation.

The 'law must take its course'

Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles last year, is being probed by police over allegations that he shared sensitive documents with Epstein during his time as envoy. The former prince was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and his brother King Charles III has said the "law must take its course."

Mountbatten-Windsor, long embroiled in scandals over his friendship with Epstein, has denied any wrongdoing.

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Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, claimed she was trafficked three times from 2001 to have sex with the British royal, including twice when she was 17. Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre in 2022, while not admitting liability.

Mandelson's appointment 'pushed'

The push for the files on Andrew comes as the government prepares to release, in early March, a first set of documents relating to Mandelson's 2024 appointment as UK ambassador in Washington. The main opposition party, the Conservatives, had also successfully used a "humble address" to compel these documents' release.

When Andrew was appointed trade envoy, Mandelson was a pivotal figure in Blair's Labour party, and was nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" for his media manipulation skills. Mountbatten-Windsor's biographer Andrew Lownie told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Blair and Mandelson had "pushed his appointment through."

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Mandelson, a key figure in British politics for decades and Britain's envoy to Washington until September, is facing a separate probe for misconduct in public office, also related to his links to Epstein.

Mandelson's appointment has triggered a political storm, with two of Starmer's top aides resigning over the row and raising questions about the prime minister's judgement. Starmer sacked Mandelson as envoy after just seven months, over revelations about the depth of his ties to Epstein. Starmer has apologised to Epstein's victims for having appointed Mandelson, and accused him of lying about the extent of his ties to the tycoon during the vetting process.

Later released files appear to show that Mandelson passed on financial information to the disgraced financier when he was UK business secretary around 2009-2010.

Mandelson has apologised for his friendship with Epstein and insisted he did not know about the financier's sexual offences, despite Epstein's 2008 conviction for child prostitution.

Neither Mandelson nor Andrew has been charged with any offence.