The British government has officially admitted that absolutely no formal vetting or due diligence was conducted before appointing Former Prince Andrew as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy in 2001. This embarrassing revelation comes as part of a newly released cache of documents related to his appointment, a result of lawmakers demanding answers as part of a larger investigation into Andrew over his Epstein ties and consequent accusations of corruption.
Trade Minister Chris Bryant provided a written statement alongside the document release, confirming there is “no evidence that a formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken” and “also no evidence that this was considered.” It’s a staggering admission, but Bryant did provide a reason: this was “understandable since this new appointment was a continuation of the Royal Family’s involvement in trade and investment promotion.”
