Jeffrey Epstein blamed King Charles for Andrew job loss as UK Trade Envoy

In an email dated July 21 2010, released as part of the US Department of Justice's document dump related to Epstein last month, an exchange saw the convicted sex offender write: “I assume he knows that this is Charles doing.”

His words came in response to a message from Andrew's close aide David Stern, which read: “Lots of tv coverage on PA and always big feature on you. Insane.”

The former prince was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as trade envoy.

He spent around 11 hours in custody as searches were conducted at his home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and at his former home, Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire.

Andrew became the UK's special representative for international trade and investment in 2001 but stepped down 10 years later amid the furore over his friendship with Epstein.

He received no salary for travelling around the world and at home promoting Britain's business interests, but criticisms were made about the thousands of pounds spent each year on his expenses and travel costs.

Retired civil servants have recently claimed Andrew used taxpayers' money to pay for massages and excessive travel costs, with one telling the BBC: “I couldn't believe it... it was like it wasn't real money, they weren't spending any of their own money.”

His decision to step down from the role came in the same year he was pictured with his arm around his primary accuser, Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked to the former duke at the home of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

Ms Giuffre claimed she had sex with the former prince three times – at Maxwell's home in London, at Epstein's New York townhouse and on the disgraced financier's Caribbean island, Little St James.

Andrew paid Ms Giuffre millions of pounds to settle a civil suit in the US in 2022, a woman he has claimed never to have met. The former prince has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Charles issued a statement shortly after his brother's arrest on February 19, in which he said: “The law must take its course.”

Following the arrest, ministers agreed to release files related to Andrew's appointment as trade envoy, but said they would be unable to publish material that police need for their inquiries until officers are "satisfied".

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police apologised to the speaker of the House of Lords after the “inadvertent revealing of information into allegations of misconduct in public office”.

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean was wrongly said in some media reports to have passed information to the police ahead of Lord Peter Mandelson’s arrest on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The Lord Speaker held a meeting with the Met yesterday morning after the claims were aired in public.

Lord Mandelson, who has been accused of passing sensitive information on to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary, has been bailed until May.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the House of Commons Speaker, received an apology on Wednesday from the Met for “inadvertently revealing information during an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office”.

The Speaker told the Commons that he had passed information along to the force about Lord Mandelson “in good faith” and said it was “regrettable this rapidly ended in the media”.