Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor investigation: CPS liaises with police

England and Wales’s most senior prosecutor said his team is working closely with police on probes into alleged links between Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor and Peter Mandelson and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. At a press briefing on Wednesday, Stephen Parkinson confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service is “in close contact” with both Metropolitan Police Service and Thames Valley Police, though no formal advice has been requested yet. He added that the CPS and police often collaborate early in complex cases, while cautioning that there would be no step-by-step updates.

Where the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor investigation stands

Thames Valley Police is assessing allegations that Epstein provided Mountbatten-Windsor with a woman for sex at Royal Lodge in 2010 and that he shared confidential trade-envoy reports with Epstein that year. An assessment phase evaluates whether a suspected offence exists and whether to open a full criminal investigation. The force said the work is progressing as quickly as possible; the CPS is aware and on hand to advise on potential misconduct in public office, a common-law offence covering serious breaches of duty by public office holders.

Emails released by the United States Department of Justice appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing visit reports from official trips to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Buckingham Palace has said it is ready to support any police inquiry, and Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied wrongdoing.

What the Met is probing about Peter Mandelson

The Met has opened an investigation into whether Mandelson leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to Epstein while serving as business secretary during the financial crisis. Disclosures reported in recent days include messages about efforts to influence policy on bankers’ bonuses and references to imminent announcements affecting markets. Mandelson has stated that the documents do not indicate wrongdoing on his part. Misconduct in public office is among the offences being considered.

CPS role and legal context

Parkinson said he was confident the CPS can advise police on misconduct in public office once asked. In practice, prosecutors assess whether the evidence meets the legal test for charge, which requires a realistic prospect of conviction and that prosecution is in the public interest. He stressed that the issue is usually the application of law to facts rather than the meaning of the law itself. The CPS will not provide rolling commentary while police inquiries continue.

Politics and public scrutiny

The revelations have intensified scrutiny of appointments made by Keir Starmer, including Mandelson’s posting as US ambassador last year. Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on Sunday, taking responsibility for advising on the appointment; pressure on the government has not eased. Meanwhile, opposition figures and campaigners continue to press for transparency as police and prosecutors coordinate their next steps.

In the coming days, both police forces will determine whether the threshold for full criminal investigations is met. The CPS stands ready to advise once a formal request is made, while both men under scrutiny maintain that they have done nothing wrong.