U.K. police consult criminal prosecutors about Andrew-Epstein allegations

LONDON — British police said Wednesday they had spoken with criminal prosecutors as part of an ongoing assessment of allegations that former Prince Andrew shared confidential documents with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office,” the force’s Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. “This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justice’s Epstein Files.”

As part of the assessment, he said investigators had “engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors” from the Crown Prosecution Service, the independent body responsible for prosecuting criminal cases in the U.K.

“During an assessment phase, information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required,” he said in the statement.

The recent release by the Justice Department of millions of documents related to Epstein has brought further criticism to the beleaguered royal, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after he was stripped of his titles last year.

NBC News has reached out to Mountbatten-Windsor’s spokesperson for comment on the latest police statement.

After police said Monday they were assessing the claims, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in a statement that King Charles III, Mountbatten-Windsor’s older brother, was “ready to support” police if they approached him.

Charles “has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” the spokesperson said. “Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.”

Prince William and his wife, Kate, the Princess of Wales, also spoke out on Monday. A Kensington Palace spokesperson told journalists they “have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations,” and their thoughts remained “focused on the victims.”

At the center of the latest controversy is an email exchange from Nov. 30, 2010, when Mountbatten-Windsor was a U.K. trade envoy. Seen by NBC News, the documents from the latest release of Epstein files appear to show the former prince sending Epstein reports on his visits to Southeast Asia and information about investment opportunities in Afghanistan.

Trade envoys are usually barred from sharing sensitive or commercial documents under confidentiality rules. Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, was the United Kingdom’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011.

The U.K. Department for Business and Trade told NBC News on Monday that it was ready to help police assess the allegations.

Mountbatten-Windsor has been weathering a storm of controversy for years over his ties with Epstein.

One of the most prominent survivors of Epstein’s sexual abuse, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, alleged that the financier trafficked her to his powerful friends, including Andrew, against whom she filed a lawsuit in 2021 alleging that the former prince sexually abused her when she was 17.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who has always denied any wrongdoing in connection to his affiliation with Epstein, reached a legal settlement with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount in 2022.