Politics · 30 December 2025
Prince Andrew files removed after accidental release
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Thorne1983 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Cabinet Office withdrew government papers about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the National Archives after accidentally releasing them to journalists under embargo. The 2004-2005 files contained minutes discussing Andrew's travel plans as UK trade envoy, including visits to China, Russia and Spain that earned him the nickname 'Air Miles Andy'. Officials blamed an administrative error and said the documents were never intended for public release, but critics accused the government of a royal cover-up.
Reported by LBC · How we write briefs