EXPOSED: Andrew’s messages about £100,000 payment for Beatrice and Eugenie from tycoon known as ‘Spotty’ that have sparked demands princesses ‘come clean’ about their finances – and Beatrice’s eye-poppingly jet-set year
EXPOSED: Andrew’s messages about £100,000 payment for Beatrice and Eugenie from tycoon known as ‘Spotty’ that have sparked demands princesses ‘come clean’ about their finances – and Beatrice’s eye-poppingly jet-set year
New evidence reveals secret financial ties between royal and billionaire
Recent disclosures have intensified scrutiny on Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie following the discovery of emails detailing a potential £100,000 transfer from David Rowland, a billionaire dubbed ‘Spotty’ by media, to their accounts. The messages, obtained by The Mail on Sunday, indicate their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, facilitated the arrangement, raising questions about the royal family’s financial transparency.
“I have explained to Amanda what was intended. That is 50 [thousand] each to the girls. 50 [thousand] for me… All this to be done once receipt of the £300 happens.”
Previously, the newspaper exposed how Andrew leveraged his role as trade envoy to advance the business interests of David Rowland and his son Jonathan during international trips funded by public money. Now, the latest findings suggest Andrew was anticipating a £300,000 payment from Rowland, with £50,000 allocated to each daughter.
Beatrice, who earned £19,500 annually as an ‘international production analyst’ at Sony Pictures, reportedly took 17 holidays in 2015, fueling speculation about her spending habits. Despite the allegations, sources affiliated with the princesses claim they have no memory of the transactions and are seeking their old banking records for clarification.
David Rowland, a long-time associate of the Duke of York, has built a £730 million empire in property and investments. He returned to the UK in 2010 to contribute £2.7 million to the Conservative Party’s election campaign. Rowland’s son, Jonathan, has since been linked to the family’s financial activities, including accompanying Andrew on diplomatic missions to promote Banque Havilland, their family bank.
“Just so I am clear. 50k each to the girls. Jelly I am clear on although the girls accounts might not be in place so you can do £100k and we work it out later.”
Further correspondence reveals Andrew’s proposal to divide the funds: £50,000 for each daughter, £25,000 for Jellybook—a startup led by Jonathan Rowland—and £50,000 for himself. The remaining £150,000 would go to a private account at Drummonds Bank. The arrangement appears to have been discussed during a June 2011 meeting between Andrew and Jonathan Rowland, who served as chief executive of Banque Havilland.
The Mail also revealed that Andrew and David Rowland co-owned a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, a tax haven, which may have been used to attract wealthy contacts to invest in a tax-free offshore fund. This development adds to the growing pressure on the princesses to explain their financial arrangements amid claims of their lavish lifestyle in their early twenties.