Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lobbied for Jeffrey Epstein during an official visit to the United Arab Emirates with the late Queen, newly released emails show.

The former Duke of York, who was then the UK’s trade envoy, messaged Epstein after meeting Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, foreign minister of the UAE, in November 2010.

He wrote: ‘Hey! You are in big time. He thinks you are great and would like to introduce you to Sheikh Mohammed [sic], the Crown Prince.

‘I will discuss further and report back.’

The email was signed ‘A’ and came from an address labelled ‘The Duke’.

On the date it was sent, Andrew was on a state visit to the UAE with the late Queen, Prince Philip and the then foreign secretary William Hague.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the crown prince of Abu Dhabi at the time and became President of the UAE in 2022.

His family is one of the richest in the world, with assets believed to exceed £1trillion.

The former Duke of York (centre), who was then the UK’s trade envoy, messaged Epstein after meeting Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, foreign minister of the UAE, in November 2010. Pictured: The late Queen and Prince Philip arrive in Abu Dhabi on the same visit 

Later that day Epstein replied to Andrew suggesting they all go on holiday together.

He wrote: ‘Ask Abdullah for a date when we can all go on vacation. I am also willing to return to Abu Dhabi.’

The emails are further proof that Andrew used state-funded trips to vouch for his financier pal. 

He was forced to give up his royal duties in 2019 and was last year stripped of his titles and honours over his relationship with the convicted paedophile and child sex trafficker.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Sheikh Mohamed or Sheikh Abdullah.

The files, released by the US Department of Justice, suggest that Epstein met Sheikh Abdullah himself shortly before Andrew’s state visit.

He emailed the former duke in October 2010, apparently listing arguments he could deploy to convince Sheikh Abdullah to work with him. 

Epstein wrote: ‘I would suggest you telling Abdullah: 1 trust, 2 financial expertise, 3 funder of extreme science (way out there), 4 fun.’

Last night, Graham Smith, of the campaign group Republic, said: ‘This revelation adds to the wider picture of Andrew having no judgment and no moral compass. 

‘It also raises more questions about his relationship with Middle Eastern rulers and dictators.

‘Andrew was under great public scrutiny at the time, but the fact is, he has never concerned himself with criticism from other people. 

‘He just brushed it off and thought, I can do what I want.’

As the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, Andrew – nicknamed Air Miles Andy for his frequent trips abroad – visited the UAE regularly.

He and the Crown Prince have been friends since they were schoolboys.

During the 2010 visit, his official role was to greet his mother on arrival. 

However, he came under fire for accepting a £1million golfing and holiday villa in Abu Dhabi from the oil-rich Gulf nation’s royal rulers.

Andrew wrote to Epstein after meeting Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, foreign minister of the UAE: ‘Hey! You are in big time. He thinks you are great and would like to introduce you to Sheikh Mohammed [sic], the Crown Prince’. Pictured: Andrew with Mohammed Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan on the 2010 visit 

They gifted him use of the four-bedroom townhouse, described by sources as a ‘heavily gilded mini-palace’, whenever he wanted.

Critics accused him of ‘a clear conflict of interest’.

At the time, Andrew said: ‘There is a long-standing relationship between the UAE and the United Kingdom which reaches back over 40 years.

‘A lot of work has gone on in the intervening period. 

‘There’s been an increased level of concern for this particular region in terms of investment, in terms of business opportunities.

‘This has been reciprocated by the UAE and other countries in the region.’

Epstein was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008. 

He served 13 months of an 18-month sentence on a work release programme that allowed him to leave jail during the day. 

His emails with Andrew about dealings in the UAE would have come shortly after his release.

Andrew’s representative did not respond to a request for comment last night.