Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has long been a figure embroiled in controversy, stemming from his conduct as a UK trade envoy and his notorious associations. Recent events, including his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, have intensified scrutiny on a career marked by diplomatic warnings and allegations of exploiting his royal position for personal gain, ultimately damaging the reputation of both his country and the Royal Family.

Concerns about Andrew's behavior as a roving trade ambassador emerged more than two decades ago. Diplomatic papers, leaked to The Mail on Sunday, reveal that officials were deeply troubled within weeks of him commencing the role, which was recommended by his friend Peter Mandelson. In November 2001, Patrick Nixon, then British ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, expressed alarm over Andrew's "crass and offensive remarks about Saudi Arabia and its oil" made to distinguished Emiratis. The following year, during a return visit, Andrew's disrespectful conduct at a reception, where he rudely disregarded numerous dignitaries including an Emirati royal, Shaikh Saif, prompted Mr. Nixon to complain to the Government. This led to Sir Stephen Brown, UK Trade and Industry chief executive, raising the matter with the Foreign Office, noting that Andrew "damaged rather than enhanced our standing and that of the Royal Family." Sir Stephen also recalled "two similar, though potentially less damaging incidents" during Andrew's visit to Singapore, concluding that Andrew "does our interests no good and himself no service by such ill-considered action." Despite these early warnings, it would be nearly a decade before Andrew was forced to resign from his trade envoy role.

During his tenure as a taxpayer-funded trade envoy from 2001 to 2011, Andrew repeatedly blurred the lines between official duties and private interests. Emails suggest he secretly used an official trade mission to China in 2010 to help broker a multi-million-pound oil deal for his business associates, in hopes of making "tons of money" with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He and his adviser, David Stern, plotted to do business with a Chinese state-owned oil company (CNOOC), with Andrew even having lunch with the company's chairman as part of his official duties. Furthermore, Andrew had secret financial links to controversial millionaire financier David Rowland, whom he once described to Epstein as his "trusted money man." Mr. Rowland and his son, Jonathan, accompanied Andrew on official trips, and Andrew would alert them to business opportunities arising from his work, effectively allowing them to join his official duties. These associations were deemed so problematic that in August 2019, a whistleblower sent a "bombshell email" to King Charles, then Prince of Wales, warning of "David Rowland’s abuse of the Royal Family." The email alleged that Andrew prioritized his relationship with Rowland over his family and that Rowland paid Andrew to procure a Luxembourg banking licence for his private bank, Banque Havilland.

The controversy surrounding Andrew's links to Jeffrey Epstein is a central theme of his public downfall. Leaked documents reveal Andrew allegedly passed potentially confidential and sensitive information to Epstein. His friendship with Epstein continued long after the financier was exposed as a paedophile, with Sarah Ferguson even referring to Epstein as her "supreme friend" in 2011. An email exchange in March 2011, after Andrew claimed to have cut ties with Epstein, showed Andrew writing, "We are in this together and must rise above it... let's play some more soon." The infamous photograph of Andrew clutching 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre's bare waist in 2001, with Ghislaine Maxwell smirking at their side, became a global symbol of the scandal. Giuffre, who alleged she was paid for sex with Andrew that night, believed its publication in 2011 would prompt British authorities to investigate, but her claims were largely dismissed by UK police in 2015, who found no evidence of criminal conduct against UK nationals at the time. Andrew has consistently denied all wrongdoing, even suggesting the photo may have been doctored.

Despite persistent calls for his dismissal, Andrew leveraged his position. In April 2011, amid a "firestorm" over his Epstein links and "cocky" and "rude" behavior described in a leaked US diplomatic cable, he used Prince William’s wedding to shore up his role. He reportedly had "very supportive chat[s]" with then-Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband. However, less than three months later, he was forced to resign as UK’s special representative for international trade and investment. Even after stepping down from public duties in 2019 following a disastrous BBC Newsnight interview about his Epstein friendship, Andrew continued to face scrutiny. This included questions about his house, Sunninghill, being bought for £3 million above the asking price by a Kazakh businessman, raising money laundering concerns, and a dinner with a Saudi millionaire linked to the 9/11 hijackers to discuss investing in Sarah Ferguson's "brand," followed by an introduction to Epstein.

The cumulative weight of these allegations led to recent decisive actions. Andrew was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released under investigation after 11 hours in custody. He reportedly resisted leaving Royal Lodge, his 30-room Windsor mansion, shouting, "I'm the Queen's second son, you can't do this to me," before relocating to Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate. King Charles III has publicly stated that "the law must take its course" and pledged "full and wholehearted support and co-operation" to the police. High-profile US lawyer Gloria Allred has urged King Charles and Prince William to give statements to the police, emphasizing that supporting victims means providing information. The Metropolitan Police are now widening their investigation, focusing on Andrew's "inner circle of friends, advisers, associates" and asking former protection officers to share any relevant observations. There are growing calls from MPs, including former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, for a parliamentary probe into UK trade envoys and even for Andrew to be investigated for treason over allegations of passing confidential information. Furthermore, the government is considering legislation to remove Andrew from the line of succession, acknowledging his current position as eighth in line to the throne and the need to officially resolve any potential role as a counsellor of state. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor consistently denies any wrongdoing, but the ongoing police investigation and public demand for accountability ensure that his controversial past continues to cast a long shadow over the Royal Family.