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  "path": "/2026/05/21/queen-keen-get-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-prominent-role-promotion-national-interests-28462782/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-21T11:23:00.000Z",
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  "tags": [
    "News",
    "Politics",
    "Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor",
    "British Government",
    "Jeffrey Epstein",
    "Royal Family",
    "Queen Elizabeth",
    "government",
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    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
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  "textContent": "The Queen appeared to play a large role in pushing for her son to get the role (Picture: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)\n\nQueen Elizabeth pushed to get her son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in a ‘prominent role in the promotion of national interests’, newly released files show.\n\nThe government has published a tranche of documents relating to Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as a top UK trade envoy by Tony Blair’s government in 2001.\n\nThey show the discussions that took place around the selection of the former Duke of York to step into the shoes of the Duke of Kent as an envoy for government body British Trade International (BTI).\n\nOne letter from the then-boss of BTI David Wright to then-Foreign Secretary Robin Cook recounted a meeting with the Queen’s Private Secretary Robin Janvrin.\n\nIt said: ‘The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests.\n\n‘No other member of The Royal Family would be available to succeed the Duke of Kent. The Duke of York’s adoption of his role would seem a natural fit.’\n\n##  Everything is changing, all the time\n\nCut through political noise and understand how the Westminster chaos actually affects your life with Metro's politics newsletter Alright, Gov? Sign up here.\n\nLater, it is explained in a telegram to all trade staff that Mountbatten-Windsor would ‘undertake a more active role’ than the Queen’s cousin at BTI.\n\nIn one letter detailing his interests in the field, the Head of Protocol Division Kathryn Colvin lists among his preferences ‘youth (including primary schools and outward bound projects)’ and ‘cultural events, with a preference for ballet rather than theatre’.\n\nThe former royal served as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment for a decade before stepping down amid controversy over his expenses in 2011.\n\nHe was stripped of his titles, including both prince and Duke of York, last year following revelations about his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.\n\nToday’s release of documents comes after the Liberal Democrats tabled a humble address calling for communications around the appointment to be made public.\n\nTrade minister Chris Bryant told MPs this morning the government had found no evidence a formal due diligence or vetting process was undertaken or even considered before the selection of Mountbatten-Windsor for the role.\n\nIn a written statement, he said: ‘This is understandable since this new appointment was a continuation of the Royal Family’s involvement in trade and investment promotion work following the Duke of Kent’s decision to relinquish his duties as Vice-Chairman of the Overseas Trade Board.’\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,** check our news page.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Late Queen was ‘very keen to get Andrew in role promoting national interests’"
}