After five months of increasing pressure, Buckingham Palace confirmed yesterday that Prince Andrew has resigned from his post as a UK trade envoy.
Prince Andrew vacationed with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
Criticism started in March over Andrew’s work connections and personal friendships. Andrew was often seen in the company of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. The nature of Andrew’s relationship with Timor Kulibayev, the son-in-law of the President of Kazakhstan, also raised questions after Kulibayev bought Andrew’s Sunninghill Park estate in 2007 for £3 million more than the original asking price. In his role as trade representative, the duke’s meetings with relatives of the now out-of-favor leaders of Libya and Tunisia also raised eyebrows in Parliament.
The situation declined further when Wikileaks published a 2010 secret memo that complained about the “lavish” expense of Andrew’s foreign trips and his “cocky” and “almost rude” attitude during official engagements. Although he did not collect a salary as trade representative, all of his expenses and travel costs were paid by the trade office.
Then, just when things could not possibly get worse, ex-wife Sarah Ferguson contributed to Andrew’s disgrace by receiving £15,000 from Jeffrey Epstein to help pay off her debts and being caught in a tabloid sting accepting bribe money for an introduction to Andrew.
With his 10 years of trade experience, Andrew can still be an asset to UK business
In the official statement the duke said, “As the evolution of my role continues apace and in order to reflect the changes I have outlined, I have decided that the label I gave myself when I began this role of Special Representative has served its purpose and is no longer necessary to the work that I do today and, more importantly, in the future”.
As for his next steps, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said Andrew would continue to “support business in the UK”, which may include working with apprenticeships and young people in the UK to improve their skills for their future roles in the UK economy.
While it is unfortunate that Andrew’s poor judgment ultimately led to his downfall and resignation, his efforts over the past 10 years did not go unrecognized. Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday thanked Andrew for his contributions over the past 10 years saying “I am certain that he and others in the Royal Family will continue to support and promote British business interests at home and overseas.”
The Royal Firm 