Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is widely considered a ‘rude, arrogant and entitled man’ who can’t distinguish between the public interest and his personal interest, a trade minister has said.
Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant has confirmed the government will back a motion to release a raft of files relating to Andrew’s appointment as a special trade envoy in 2001.
The move from the Lib Dems has prompted one of the first ever debates in Parliament focused on a member of the Royal Family.
It is typically forbidden to explicitly criticise the royals in the House of Commons, but Speaker Lindsay Hoyle permitted the debate since Andrew has been stripped of his titles and positions.
MPs have taken the opportunity to question that rule and offer scathing takes on the former prince’s character.
That included Bryant, who told the Commons: ‘Colleagues and many civil servants have told me their own stories of their interactions with Mr. Mountbatten Windsor, and they all portray the same pattern.
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‘A man on a constant self-aggrandising and self-enriching hustle. A rude, arrogant and entitled man who could not distinguish between the public interest, which he said he served, and his own private interest.’
The trade minister also recalled a visit by Andrew to Sea Cadets in the Welsh town of Tonypandy.
He said: ‘They were absolutely delighted and excited to meet a member of the Royal Family, but he insisted on coming by helicopter – unlike his mother, who came twice to the Rhondda and always came by car.
‘He left early, and he showed next to no interest in the young people.’
Andrew was appointed as a special trade envoy for the British government by Tony Blair in 2001 and spent 10 years in the role before stepping down in 2011 amid criticism over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The specific role of UK special representative for trade and investment was created for him.
It was the release of an enormous batch of documents relating to Epstein that prompted the latest action against Andrew, as further evidence of his links with the sex offender were exposed.
Shadow minister Alex Burghart confirmed the Conservatives also backed the move to release files relating to the appointment, which followed a similar move by the Tories to publish files relating to the government’s appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to the US.
It is believed that the first batch of files from that effort could be released in a matter of weeks.
Bryant suggested it could take much longer to release the documents relating to Andrew, as many will date back 25 years and only be available in hard copy.
This afternoon’s debate comes five days after he was arrested over allegations of misconduct in public office.
The former Duke of York was questioned for around seven hours before being released still under investigation. He has previously denied any wrongdoing.
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