What do the Andrew files tell us?

A wad of documents dropped today reveals the details surrounding the appointment of former prince Andrew as the UK’s trade envoy in 2001 – and the part the late Queen Elizabeth II played in him getting the role.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has come under scrutiny over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and has since had his royal titles stripped from him.

He has been accused of abusing his trade envoy role to share confidential information with Epstein – although Andrew strongly denies these claims.

The Liberal Democrats forced the files’ release, after tabling a humble address motion back in February. So what exactly have we learned from the 41-page report?

The Queen wanted Andrew to have the job

The Queen wanted her son to take over the trade envoy role from the outgoing Duke of Kent, a “wide ranging discussion” with her private secretary revealed.

Andrew’s naval career was coming to an end after more than two decades, and a letter from the chief executive of British Trade International, Sir David Wright, to the office of the Foreign Secretary noted: “The Queen’s wish is that the Duke of Kent should be succeeded in this role by the Duke of York…

“The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests…

“The Duke of York’s adoption of this role would seem a natural fit.”

However, a media briefing sheet on Andrew’s appointment to the trade envoy role played down the influence of Queen Elizabeth II.

While it stated that British Trade International and Buckingham Palace were keen to see a member of the Royal family take on the role, it suggests instead that it was British Trade Investment that approached Buckingham Palace with the suggestion that Andrew become the UK’s trade envoy.

Andrew had fewer responsibilities than the Duke of Kent

The former Prince officially started his job as special representative for British Trade and Investment on October 1, 2001 – with no end date specified, although he stepped away ten years later over his friendship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

He stepped back from the trade envoy role in the same year that the picture of him with Virginia Giuffre was taken.

But while his new job entailed travelling abroad and across the UK, as well as receiving visitors to the UK, Andrew was not given a role with the British Trade and Investment Board.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor wasn’t paid a salary, but he was able to claim thousands of pounds in expenses, for example, for travel.

Andrew preferred ballet to the theatre – and wasn’t to officially play golf

When the Duke of York, his private secretaries kept tabs on what Andrew’s preferred activities were on overseas visits.

The files note that he was “particularly good” on “high-tech matters”.

He also liked “youth”-related activities, “including primary schools and outward bound projects”.

When it came to culture, Andrew preferred ballet to theatre and would rather be sent to tech-forward, “sophisticated countries”.

The then-Prince’s Principal Private Secretary, Captain Blair, also specifically asked that Andrew should not be offered golfing opportunities abroad – even if he brought his clubs along.

“This was a private activity,” the newly published memo stated. “If he took his clubs with him, he would not play in any public sense.”