What was the trade envoy job that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held?
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as the Duke of York, was appointed as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment in October 2001. According to UK Trade & Investment, the role involved an “extensive programme of targeted engagements both in the UK and overseas to promote the interest of UK industry and the UK as a whole.”
Essentially, the position required high-level lobbying and managing sensitive “confidential briefs” related to investment opportunities. The role demanded close coordination with the UK’s trade and diplomatic missions abroad.
Who appointed him?
Mountbatten-Windsor began this role during Tony Blair’s government, following his retirement from the navy in July 2001. In 2011, the Prime Minister’s office, then under the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition, stated that the appointment was made “with the agreement of the then foreign secretary [Jack Straw] and the trade and industry secretary [Patricia Hewitt].”
So he was backed by Labour?
His support extended beyond Labour. In 2011, when calls emerged for him to step down, Conservative ministers publicly endorsed him. George Osborne, then Chancellor, said:
“We have confidence in him doing the job and we think he’s done a good job in recent years. He’s promoted British exports. What we want is everyone promoting British exports at the minute and Prince Andrew has done that.”
Additionally, former trade minister Digby Jones expressed support, stating Mountbatten-Windsor had “put the country first.”
“It’s important we, as business, say, let’s use what he can do to actually create some profit, employ some people, pay some tax,” the peer added.
Was Mountbatten-Windsor a controversial choice when he was first appointed?
Yes, his appointment was controversial. Even at the start of the 2000s, opinions were divided due to his reputation as a “playboy prince.”
In his book Entitled, author Andrew Lownie details how former trade secretary Peter Mandelson helped Mountbatten-Windsor secure the role, while his brother, then Prince Charles, attempted to block it.
“It was also claimed that Prince Charles was trying to block Andrew’s new role as ‘a disaster waiting to happen’ on the grounds that his brother simply couldn’t be trusted not to disgrace himself,” Lownie wrote. “A palace source said that the Prince of Wales was extremely concerned about Andrew’s playboy image: ‘He thinks he won’t be able to resist the temptation of mixing business with pleasure. This is a high-profile appointment which demands tact and discretion.’”
Whom did he meet in the role and why?
The position involved meetings with various UK and international business figures and foreign leaders, where he facilitated introductions. While some meetings were routine and reportedly useful, his dealings with allegedly corrupt regimes, including Kazakhstan, attracted negative attention.
Notably, the Kazakh president’s son-in-law, Timur Kulibayev, purchased Mountbatten-Windsor’s former residence at Sunninghill Park in 2007, reportedly paying £3 million over the asking price.
Despite this, Mountbatten-Windsor’s connections with Kazakhstan continued. In 2010, he met with the UK’s BG Group three times between 25 March and 28 April, including a meeting in Kazakhstan.
In March 2011, his association with Saif Gaddafi, son of then Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, prompted calls for him to be removed from the role.
Did Mountbatten-Windsor get paid for the job?
He did not receive a salary for the position. However, expenses and travel costs were covered. In 2011, one Member of Parliament estimated that these costs amounted to approximately £4 million over ten years, excluding expenses related to protection officers.
It seems as if the job description could benefit the UK, though?
Indeed, the role has potential benefits for the UK. The country continues to appoint various trade envoys, including parliamentarians assigned to specific regions. While many of these positions are less prominent, notable appointments include former cricketer Ian Botham, who became a UK trade ambassador to Australia in 2021.
