Buckingham Palace received a collection of around 30,000 emails in 2020 that allegedly contained details about the financial activities of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his time as a UK trade envoy, according to court records that have recently come to light.
The documents reveal that the email archive was delivered to the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official within the Royal Household, several years before the current police investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor began.
The emails reportedly originated from the account of a business associate linked to the former royal and became the subject of a legal dispute that later reached the High Court.
When questioned about the handling of the material, Buckingham Palace declined to comment, citing an ongoing police investigation involving Mountbatten-Windsor.
The development comes as Thames Valley Police continues its inquiry into allegations of misconduct in public office. Authorities recently renewed calls for anyone with relevant information to come forward.
Court judgments issued in 2021 and 2022 indicate that copies of the email archive were provided to the Lord Chamberlain in May 2020 and later delivered to Buckingham Palace.
The archive reportedly contains correspondence dating up to June 2013, although its full contents have never been publicly disclosed.
Some emails that have already surfaced suggest that Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared confidential government information while serving as a trade envoy. One published exchange reportedly showed him forwarding a private Treasury briefing concerning Iceland’s banking sector to a business associate before key financial developments occurred.
The recipient was identified as Jonathan Rowland, whose family had business interests connected to financial institutions affected by Iceland’s banking collapse.
The emails are considered particularly significant because they relate to a period marked by scrutiny of Mountbatten-Windsor’s business relationships with the Rowland family and Banque Havilland, a financial institution that later faced regulatory sanctions in both the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Court documents indicate that the archive emerged after a dispute involving Jonathan Rowland and a former business associate. The material was later obtained by businessman Kevin Stanford, who reportedly shared copies with authorities in Monaco and Luxembourg, as well as several other individuals, including the Lord Chamberlain.
At the time, the position of Lord Chamberlain was held by Lord Peel, whose responsibilities included overseeing the administration and operations of the Royal Household.
The emails were delivered during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Since the accession of King Charles III, the Royal Family has taken a firmer stance regarding Mountbatten-Windsor, including the removal of several royal titles and responsibilities.
Following his recent arrest, Buckingham Palace issued a brief statement on behalf of the King, saying that legal proceedings should be allowed to take their course.
Additional attention was drawn to the matter earlier this year following the publication of documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Those records reportedly highlighted Mountbatten-Windsor’s close relationship with members of the Rowland family and his support for some of their business interests.
Author and historian Andrew Lownie has renewed calls for greater transparency surrounding Mountbatten-Windsor’s activities during his time as trade envoy. He argues that key information remains inaccessible despite repeated requests made under freedom of information legislation.
One recent request concerning a visit to Azerbaijan in 2011 was rejected by the Foreign Office, which cited reasons including national security and law enforcement considerations.
Thames Valley Police declined to confirm whether investigators currently have access to the email archive discussed in earlier court proceedings. However, the force said it is aware of allegations circulating publicly and continues to encourage individuals with relevant information to assist the investigation.
A government spokesperson said authorities are fully cooperating with the police inquiry and noted that documents relating to the creation of the trade envoy role and Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment in 2001 were recently released.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to his business activities and has previously rejected allegations that he personally benefited from his role as a trade envoy.
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