Prince Andrew has been embroiled in a new secrecy scandal after files about his secretive trade trips representing the UK have been locked until 2065 thanks to a bizarre royal rule. Researchers have been attempting to find out more about his work when he flew across the globe to boost investment.
He forged close links with the Middle East which has led to him reportedly being offered the use of a palace in Abu Dhabi. And he also became good friends with a suspected Chinese spy who has now been turfed out of the country on suspicion of spying for the hostile state.
The Foreign Office hold files on his work as an ambassador but have refused to release them, giving a variety of excuses over this. Author Andrew Lownie is releasing a biography of the Duke of York next week and says he was told that the files could not be made public until 2065.
There is a general rule that papers related to members of the royal family must remain closed until 105 years after their birth. But last week, a spokesperson for the UK Information Commissioner’s Office said: “There’s nothing in the Freedom of Information Act about that”, adding that they were not aware of anything preventing the files’ release under any other legislation.
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A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: “We take our obligations under the Freedom of Information Act very seriously, and all timeframes are clearly set out in the legislation.” Mr Lownie insisted in the Guardian that the UK Government was “covering up for Andrew.”
He is trying to get access to papers detailing who accompanied the Prince on his trade trips after he was accused of using his position and publicly funded trips abroad for private business deals. Earlier this month an alleged Chinese spy was revealed to be his associate and had an “unusual degree of trust” with him.
Prince Andrew opted for Royal Lodge at Christmas this year rather than Sandringham
(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
It sparked a new row and ended with Andrew not joining the royal family for their Christmas celebrations at Sandringham last week. Other royal files, including those in the Prince previously open for decades, have been re-closed by the National Archives after an internal review.
Government papers are usually released after 20 years under the Public Records Act but there are exemptions for some royals, such such as those covering discussions with the monarch, the heir, and second in line to the throne, as well as exemptions for national security prejudice to the conduct of public affairs, or personal information.
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The National Archives releases documents every year containing letters or other information about the late Queen, her sister Princess Margaret, or other members of the royal family, within 105 years of their birth. Mr Lownie said that numerous excuses have been used to block his requests, including saying they don’t exist, and it is too expensive to search them.
A spokesperson for the National Archives said: “When we become aware that open records may contain information that comes under one or more of the exemptions within the FoI Act, eg personal information, those records have their access status amended to ‘Access Under Review’ to allow for their review under the FoI Act.”
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