Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor 'received boost to his taxpayer-funded expenses as trade envoy after review HE commissioned found he was a "highly valuable UK asset"'

Published: 14:06, 26 May 2026 | Updated: 14:08, 26 May 2026 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly received a boost to his taxpayer-funded expenses as trade envoy after a review he commissioned found he was a 'highly valuable UK asset'. The disgraced royal - who was in February arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office - charged his travel and a string of expenses, including massages and staffing costs, to the Government while he was in the role from 2001 to 2011. Andrew's running costs grew so bulky he was given the nickname 'Air Miles Andy' while serving as special representative for international trade and investment, racking up more than £750,000 a year in international travel expenses alone. And the former Duke of York is now alleged to have used a gushing report into his stint as trade envoy to loosen the Government's purse strings further, The i Paper reports. The ex-prince in early 2008 tasked Big Four accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with providing an 'independent strategic review' of Andrew's performance.  Details of the report were unveiled in the Epstein files via a hiring pack sent to Philip Yea, former chief executive of 3i Group plc, in June 2009 while he was being appointed as a senior business adviser to the then royal. The contract claimed Andrew had developed his role 'significantly' and provided the findings of the review.  The summary read: 'The review indicated that HRH was highly valued by UK businesses and that he should continue to develop the role as a unique and highly valuable UK asset. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, pictured in 2011, allegedly received a boost to his taxpayer-funded expenses as trade envoy after a gushing review he commissioned An 'independent strategic review' of Andrew's performance conducted by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is referenced in a contract sent to new hire Philip Yea 'The Government agreed and provided strong endorsement with increased funding to support the duke's activities.' It recommended that Andrew spend more time focussing on 'emerging markets and territories' and suggested an expanded private office - hence Mr Yea's appointment.  The review was penned amid a slew of negative headlines, panning the duke for his extensive travel expenses, which later included more than £350,000 for five trips he made during 2010-11, according to published accounts of the Royal Household. While the nature of his role inevitably involved him joining delegations heading on lengthy trips, some questioned why these journeys often included pit stops at ski slopes and top golf courses. Andrew's own report appeared to be an attempt to improve his image as trade envoy, with a royal source telling the Telegraph at the time that there was 'not a word of criticism about the prince in the PwC report and it is hugely supportive of his work'.  In turn, the then prince's expenses experienced another uptick, with the Government signing off on another boost to his accommodation, travel and general funding.  The duke also developed a penchant for 'massage services', the cost of which were also covered by the Government. Indeed, it was reported first by the Daily Mail in 2009 that Andrew was introduced to the 'pleasures of professional massage' by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. In answer to the negative publicity surrounding his spiralling travel costs, the PwC report highlighted a number of areas where the prince's expenses in this department could be reduced.  The National Audit Office had criticised the duke's regular use of private helicopters and RAF planes - including taking one to play golf at St Andrews - and, in turn, the cost of his international travel dropped from £760,000 to £435,000. While he cut down on the private jets, the expenses surrounding Andrew's role as trade envoy increased overall following the 2008 report. Prince Andrew disembarking his private chartered plane in Dimapur airport in Nagaland, India in May 2012 Andrew pictured with Virginia Giuffre, who says she was sexually assaulted by him three times when she was 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell, right The duke started publishing annual reports on his own website in 2009, with the first edition including some of the findings of the PwC review. HR documents sent at the time of Mr Yea's appointment also provided an insight into the benefits of the unpaid job, including a range of expenses and the chance to have lunch at Buckingham Palace on days spent working with Andrew. The Daily Mail has contacted Mountbatten-Windsor and Buckingham Palace for comment. The Government has also been approached for comment.  Andrew's sensational arrest came more than three months ago, but it is thought detectives are struggling to build a compelling enough case to bring charges. Thames Valley Police alleges that Andrew leaked secrets to Epstein during his decade as the UK's trade envoy, and announced on Friday its probe has broadened. The force is understood to have made contact with the Metropolitan Police to review its records relating to the former prince's accuser Virginia Giuffre - and is also keen to speak to the 66-year-old's former protection officers.  Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, was paid £12million by Andrew in 2022 after claiming she was sexually assaulted by him three times when she was 17. Andrew has always denied wrongdoing, but there are allegations that he paid one of his protection officers to dig up dirt on Giuffre after she publicised her allegations in 2011. The Met, however, denies that the then-prince's alleged request was carried out. Giuffre was interviewed by officers from the force in 2015, The Times reports, after she complained that she was sex trafficked by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell. But an investigation was never launched because, the Met said, there was no allegation of criminal conduct against any UK-based nationals. It added that any investigation into human trafficking would be focused on activities outside Britain. The force has reviewed the case on a number of occasions, including after Giuffre's death, but its position remains unchanged. Officers at Thames Valley reportedly now want to review the files themselves, and are also keen to speak to the Met protection officers who stayed with Andrew at properties owned by Epstein. Officers are even understood to have been instructed to provide security at the paedophile financier's New York home, according to the US Department of Justice. The Met insists it never uncovered any evidence of wrongdoing, but detectives want to be confident there are no outstanding inquiries. Police have seized evidence in a raid of Andrew's former home at Royal Lodge, Windsor, and his new property in Norfolk. Senior officers have spoken to the Crown Prosecution Service for 'early investigative advice' ahead of a potential prosecution, it was reported on Friday. They are also liaising with the American DoJ to formally request evidence contained in the millions of documents from the Epstein files. Alongside the allegations from the files, they are assessing separate claims that Epstein sent a woman to the UK for sex with Andrew in 2010, mirroring accusations made by the late Giuffre. The disgraced royal pictured in February after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office Detectives have spoken to a lawyer for the alleged second victim, who has not been identified, but officers are yet to carry out interviews because she has not made a formal complaint to police. Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said the force had assembled a dedicated team of its 'most experienced specialist investigators', which include detectives experienced in investigating serious sexual attacks and financial experts. He confirmed they had spoken to a number of witnesses, but said he hopes others will come forward to shed light on Andrew's relationship with the paedophile. One of the key issues to be determined is whether the former prince can be considered a public officer under the terms of the offence. Police will have to interview various officials and seek disclosure from the Government of any documents Andrew signed regarding confidentiality in his role, which he held for ten years until 2011. CPS guidance says: 'There is no simple definition of a public officer, and each case must be assessed individually, taking into account the nature of the role, the duties carried out and the level of public trust involved.' Public officials include individuals such as police officers, civil servants, judges, elected officials and Army officers. Emails released in the Epstein dump suggest the former duke shared reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore with the financier. Andrew was the UK's Special Representative for Trade and Investment in Asia in 2010 and 2011. He is accused of sharing confidential reports and investment opportunities with Epstein after the financier was released from prison on child sex offences in 2009. One email, in November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser, Amit Patel. Then, on Christmas Eve in 2010, Andrew allegedly looped Epstein in on a confidential briefing about investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand in Afghanistan. Detectives are now speaking to officials in the Cabinet Office and Buckingham Palace, which has previously released a statement confirming staff stand 'ready to support' police. Royal aides say the Palace cannot comment while there is an active police inquiry for fear of prejudicing any investigation. The comments below have been moderated in advance. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.