Cabinet Office Apologizes for Brief Release of Sensitive 2004-05 No 10 Papers
The Cabinet Office has attributed an administrative error to the brief release of 2004-05 No 10 papers concerning royal visits related to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. These files were part of the 20-year rule transfer to the National Archives in Kew, west London. The embargoed file shared with journalists included minutes detailing Andrew's overseas travel as a trade envoy, which were redacted before their public release at the National Archives. Officials emphasized that the records are managed under the Public Records Act and undergo extensive review with stakeholder engagement, underscoring that the papers were never intended for public disclosure.
The minutes described Andrew's travel plans to China, Russia, southeast Asia, and Spain, with him being nicknamed 'Airmiles Andy' at the time. Despite this, anti-monarchy campaigners contested the justification for withholding the papers, particularly as Andrew has had royal titles stripped due to his links to Jeffrey Epstein—a matter he denies any wrongdoing in.
Separately declassified files revealed that the Foreign Office dismissed the possibility of a UK-led intervention to overthrow Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe in 2004, citing political isolation, high costs, and a lack of an exit strategy. Additionally, Downing Street issued an apology for a 1994 birthday telegram to the Queen Mother that was improperly addressed, attributing the mishap to a transmission error and suggesting that telegrams might be discontinued.
Freedom of Information disclosures also illustrated limits on transparency, with a conversation between Blair and Chirac following Diana's death withheld as it was deemed not in the public interest to disclose. Furthermore, the papers detailed abandoned plans for a major Downing Street redevelopment known as Project George in 2005, which would have included a subterranean suite and conference space funded via a private finance initiative over 30 years. These plans were ultimately dropped without explanation.
