Buckingham Palace Hid Evidence Against Ex-Prince Andrew for 6 Years, Epstein Accuser Claims
Buckingham Palace reportedly received evidence years ago suggesting that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, had been sharing confidential government information while serving as a trade envoy. According to a BBC report published on Saturday, the material was handed to the Lord Chamberlain in 2020 and consisted of about 30,000 emails allegedly showing Andrew passing protected information from a personal business contact. The report said the palace did not act publicly on the material at the time.
The allegations come amid renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and his former role representing the United Kingdom in trade-related matters. Andrew, 66, was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, with claims that he forwarded confidential trade documents to Epstein. He has denied all accusations against him. The BBC report has intensified questions about what Buckingham Palace knew and when it knew it.
Victims of Epstein have reacted sharply to the report. Jess Michaels, one of Epstein’s survivors, told the Telegraph that the palace was protecting Andrew and that the institution had failed to confront the seriousness of the allegations sooner. Michaels also defended Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein and Andrew of sexual abuse when she was underage and died by suicide in April 2025. Michaels said Giuffre was telling the truth and argued that institutions often shield powerful men while leaving victims to suffer the consequences.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment in detail, citing the ongoing police inquiry into Mountbatten-Windsor. In a statement released earlier this year after Andrew’s arrest, King Charles said he was deeply concerned by the news and fully supported the investigation. He said the matter should proceed through the proper authorities and confirmed the royal family’s cooperation. The latest report is likely to renew pressure on the monarchy over how it handled warnings and evidence involving Andrew.
