Epstein emails: So-called 'shady financier' was Andrew's 'trusted money man'

The Epstein files have cast new light on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's relationship with the controversial businessman David Rowland, revealing that Andrew told Jeffrey Epstein this was his "trusted money man".

Emails seem to show Andrew trying to promote Rowland's financial ventures, at a time when Andrew was the UK' s trade envoy.

However, Epstein appeared reluctant to engage with the multi-millionaire Conservative Party donor, after he was warned that the UK press were calling Rowland a "shady financier".

Rowland's son Jonathan told the BBC he and his father "never had any contact or correspondence or had dinner or met with" Epstein.

Rowland's private bank, Banque Havilland, has since fallen foul of regulators in London and Luxembourg, and had its banking licence withdrawn in 2024 by the European Central Bank. It is appealling this.

The latest emails, released by the US Department of Justice, appear to show Andrew encouraging Epstein to invest in the ventures of David and Jonathan Rowland.

There have been many previous claims about links between Andrew and Rowland's private bank, but the Epstein emails also suggest Rowland lent money to Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. There also seems to be irritation at how she had spent it.

"Will finalise F summary for you next week. Can't now cause she went to nepal paying for the first class flight with her rowland bank loan," writes a business contact to Epstein in September 2009.

This "F" appears to refer to Ferguson, who was photographed in Nepal the day the email was sent.

Media reports have claimed in the past that Andrew also received money from Banque Havilland, though the BBC didn't find evidence of this in the latest batch of Epstein files.

There have been many questions about Andrew's finances - and about his long-standing relationship with the banker Rowland.

Jonathan Rowland did not deny to the BBC that he or his father or Banque Havilland might have paid or lent money to Andrew or Ferguson, but denied that he had ever provided money in exchange for access to contacts.

In May 2010, Andrew appears to mention Rowland in an email to Epstein: "You should know that I was seeing David Rowland, my trusted money man whom you know from a long time ago."

Rowland and his son Jonathan had a close relationship with Andrew, joining him on trips in his capacity as an official trade envoy, to places such as China and the former Soviet states.

One email suggests Andrew was keen for one of Epstein's contacts to invest in the Rowlands' venture.

But Epstein was wary.

"He is actively seeking high net worth individuals for his Private Bank. Perhaps this is an avenue for your undecided Chinese?" Andrew apparently writes to Epstein, in October 2010.

Epstein replies: "His bank just might be the place.. I guess i should learn more."

However, a few months earlier a contact of Epstein had raised concerns about Rowland's reputation, mentioning that he was referred to in the press as a "shady financier".

The phrase was first used in Parliament, and could therefore be repeated by journalists without risk of libel.

"He resigned his post as Tory treasurer last Thursday before he started," the contact warns.

"Before he started?? what?" Epstein replies.

A reply suggests that "PA" explained that Rowland "decided not to take up the appointment. For numerous reasons not least to the internal situation in the party."

Another email suggests that Epstein was going to have dinner with Andrew, David and Jonathan Rowland in Hong Kong that year. But he appeared reluctant to commit to any business ventures.

Epstein's associate writes to him in 2011: "Jonathan Rowland asked me to join his new fund to invest in China, Russia, CIS [former Soviet countries] & Europe. He will send me material this week. I said I am very busy but will look at it. You need to tell me what you want me to do with this but I am working on the assumption to stay far away from it."

Jonathan Rowland admitted meeting this associate, but says he never mentioned Epstein.

The same year, an email to Epstein from an associate notes that "[Prince Andrew] was under scrutiny for dealing with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan (but government approved!), he has full support of his Mum [the Queen]."

The emails suggest the closeness of Andrew to David Rowland, including that he was at Andrew's birthday party.

David Rowland was a guest at the wedding of Andrew's daughter Princess Eugenie and Rowland had acted as Andrew's official representative at a funeral in London in 2015.

The Epstein files also include a photo of an article from the Telegraph website, showing a montage of David Rowland, Andrew and Epstein side-by-side. The story claims that Rowland had paid off around £85,000 of Sarah Ferguson's debts, and that Epstein had paid off other debts.

Epstein sent the photo to a contact listed simply as "Rowland", who appears not to have responded. Jonathan Rowland said he and his father had never seen it before.

Author Andrew Lownie, who wrote the book Entitled about Andrew, described his links to David Rowland as "essential in understanding how Andrew was able to make so much money".

He claims that Rowland played a "crucial role in helping Andrew to monetise his royal status and government position as trade envoy".

Jonathan Rowland denied that he or his father had used contacts from his travels with Andrew to promote business deals and investments.

Andrew has always denied wrongdoing and rejected claims that he had used his envoy role for his own personal gain.

Sarah Ferguson and Banque Havilland's successor organisation Rangecourt did not respond to requests for comment.

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