On Thursday, the British government released confidential files showing Queen Elizabeth II personally pressed for Prince Andrew to become a UK trade envoy in 2001. These documents reveal that despite the prominent nature of the role, the prince underwent no formal security vetting before his appointment.
Memos detail that Andrew preferred visiting "sophisticated countries" and favored attending the ballet over routine diplomatic duties like golf functions. The release comes after years of public pressure regarding the prince's conduct and his controversial relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Parliamentary groups are now likely to demand new rules to prevent royal influence from bypassing standard government oversight in future appointments.
.Here are the top political news stories for today.
Join in on more popular conversations.
