Police investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Mandelson have asked Crown prosecutors for investigative advice, the Mail can reveal.
Detectives from Thames Valley Police, which arrested Andrew over alleged misconduct in public office in February, had an ‘early advice meeting’ with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last month.
And the CPS has also confirmed its top prosecutors were providing early investigative advice to Scotland Yard following the arrest of Lord Mandelson for the same offence.
A spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that we are now providing early investigative advice to the Metropolitan Police Service regarding the force’s investigation into a 72-year-old man and will continue to liaise as requested.
‘We can now also confirm that we are providing early investigative advice to Thames Valley Police in relation to a 66-year-old man.
‘We remain ready to support any investigation if needed.’
The Home Office is also understood to be providing mutual legal assistance, a method of cooperation between states for obtaining assistance in the investigation or prosecution of criminal offences.
A spokesman said: ‘This government will do everything in its power to ensure accountability is delivered, and the integrity of the ongoing police investigations must be respected.’
Mandelson has been accused of disclosing sensitive information to Epstein while he was working as Business Secretary.
And Andrew’s arrest on February 19 – his 66th birthday – followed allegations that he shared sensitive information with the late paedophile financier while working as trade envoy.
Both Mandelson and Andrew claim they had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and being mentioned in the files is not an indication of guilt.
Both men were released under investigation and deny any wrongdoing.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: ‘Thames Valley Police is liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service as part of its investigation into misconduct in public office, as is normal for any criminal case.
‘This liaison included an early advice meeting with the CPS on 19 March.’
The cases will ultimately be considered by the CPS Special Crime Division, which deals with the most sensitive and complex cases.
Providing early investigative advice to police is not the same as making a charging decision, and does not always lead to a full file coming back to the CPS.
It has previously been reported that detectives investigating Andrew may try to broaden the scope of their enquiries beyond the misconduct in public office offences, for which it is difficult to mount a prosecution.
The former Duke of York could be investigated over other potential corruption offences on top of a wider inquiry into alleged sex trafficking, police sources told The Times.
Andrew has been dogged for more than 15 years over allegations about his relationship with Epstein, and his arrest plunged the monarchy into a constitutional crisis.
According to emails published by the US Department of Justice, Andrew appeared to have forwarded official reports of trips to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam onto the financier in 2010 and 2011.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has tried to press US authorities to expedite the release of unredacted exchanges in the files.
