Newly released emails from the US Department of Justice’s latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files suggest that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, while serving as a UK trade envoy in 2010, attempted to arrange a meeting between the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi. The exchanges reveal Epstein had been approached by Gaddafi’s associates for assistance with managing his finances. Gaddafi was referred to as 'the father' or 'the leader' in the emails, believed to distinguish him from his son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, both of whom Mountbatten-Windsor had met previously.

An email dated October 7, 2010, shows Epstein expressing a desire to visit Tripoli and asking his associate David Stern to 'organize with pa,' referring to Mountbatten-Windsor. Stern confirmed that Tripoli could be arranged, with Mountbatten-Windsor seeking more details. Epstein subsequently explained that individuals who had met 'the father' had inquired if he wished to meet Gaddafi, as the dictator sought advice on managing his money, and suggested 'Pa should make the intro instead'. Mountbatten-Windsor was briefed on this proposal and was reportedly 'thinking about the best approach' before a scheduled meeting with Stern in Hong Kong on October 17. Mountbatten-Windsor's trade envoy diary corroborates his visit to China on that date. Weeks later, on November 3, 2010, Epstein was informed that Mountbatten-Windsor would speak with his Gaddafi contact 'tonight or tomorrow'. The following day, Mountbatten-Windsor directly informed Epstein, 'Libya fixed. Call me whenever'. Despite these arrangements, Epstein’s subsequent travel itinerary indicated the proposed meeting never took place, as he flew from UAE to Turkey and then France.

Beyond the Gaddafi allegations, other emails within the Epstein files allege that Mountbatten-Windsor passed on a confidential Treasury briefing to his banker friend, Jonathan Rowland. In 2010, Mountbatten-Windsor requested an official update on the financial crisis in Iceland. Upon receiving it, he forwarded the briefing to Rowland, advising him to read it 'before you make your next move'. This comes amidst a police probe being assessed by Thames Valley Police detectives into claims that the former Duke of York leaked confidential data. Buckingham Palace has issued an unprecedented statement, indicating readiness to support any investigation and conveying the King's 'profound concern' over mounting allegations against his brother.

Jonathan Rowland was the former chief executive of Banque Havilland, co-founded by his father David Rowland, with whom Mountbatten-Windsor also had close ties. The Treasury briefing was requested by Mountbatten-Windsor's deputy private secretary, Amanda Thirsk, to understand the latest position between the UK and Iceland regarding deposits from the 2008 banking crisis. After receiving the note, Andrew forwarded it to Jonathan Rowland, whose bank had acquired assets from a failed Icelandic lender a year earlier. Mountbatten-Windsor's connections to the Rowland family span years, including David Rowland reportedly paying off a £1.5 million bank loan for the Duke in 2017. Furthermore, other documents in the Epstein files show Andrew forwarding Whitehall reports from his visits to Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, and China to Epstein within minutes of receiving them, and providing a briefing on investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

The broader release of Jeffrey Epstein files has also brought other controversies to light, including a dispute over the unredaction of names. Ro Khanna, a California Democratic representative, publicly listed six names on the House floor, asserting they were