The emails involving Andrew’s aide Amanda Thirsk suggested that while on official trade missions at taxpayers’ expense, he was drumming up business for a Luxembourg-based bank for the super-rich, owned by his business partner in the offshore fund, David Rowland, 74, and his family. An investigation claimed Andrew requested private government documents and then passed them to his business associates. It also claimed that a separate business in the Cayman Islands was created to persuade the prince’s wealthy royal contacts around the world to invest in it. 

When Andrew faced the sack as UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, a role he performed from 2001 until 2011 at the request of the Queen, Mr Rowland’s son and right-hand man in the business Jonathan suggested their activities could continue “under the radar” and Andrew replied: “I like your thinking.” 

One email suggested that Andrew, who had a 40 percent stake in Inverness Asset Management, based in the British Virgin Islands, that was in existence until March this year and was co-owned by Mr Rowland, was in line to become a partner in the Rowlands’ bank. 

Buckingham Palace said at all times Andrew was working for Britain and not individuals. 

A Palace spokesman said: “The Duke of York was the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment between 2001 and July 2011 and in that time the aim, and that of his office, was to promote Britain and British interests overseas not the interests of individuals.” 

The revelations, which came ahead of a BBC Panorama programme tonight on Andrew, his friendship with billionaire convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and claims the duke slept three times with a young sex slave, Virginia Roberts, prompted calls for further action against Andrew. 

The duke denied wrongdoing and insists that he has never met Virginia. 

Ex-Lib Dem MP Norman Baker wants Andrew to be stripped of his HRH title, while Labour’s Chris Bryant, a Foreign Office minister when he held his envoy role, demanded a parliamentary inquiry. 

Mr Bryant said: “It all just stinks. I don’t think he has ever been able to draw a distinction between his own personal interest and the national interest. It’s morally offensive.” 

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