Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is alleged to have forced through the appointment of a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein to the board of a Windsor Castle charity despite objections from other members.
David Stern, described as a confidant of both the disgraced financier and the former prince, was appointed to the board of the St George’s House Trust in 2016. Concerns were raised at the time by members of the organisation, who questioned his background and suitability.
One former board member told The Times: “There was unhappiness about the fact that this man was being imposed upon the board by Prince Andrew, and there was the feeling that we shouldn’t accept him.”
The source added: “Several members of the board objected to Stern’s candidacy, but it was pushed through because Prince Andrew wanted him there.”
St George’s House Trust was founded in 1966 by Prince Philip as a forum bringing together influential figures to discuss national and international issues in private. It is based within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The charity’s council includes senior figures from business, universities and the charitable sector, as well as the Dean of Windsor. Princess Anne sits on the council in her capacity as a Knight of the Order of the Garter.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice this month show Stern, a German national, corresponded frequently with Epstein, whom he referred to as “my boss”, discussing investment opportunities around the world.
The correspondence also appears to include exchanges about women, with Stern providing Epstein with what he described as “P rating” from countries he visited.
Andrew ‘pushed through’ Epstein associate onto Windsor charity board despite ‘several objections’
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In a 2009 message, he described time spent in Odesa, Ukraine, as having a “P factor 9/10 with extra 0.5 dirt bonus”, to which Epstein replied: “use your phone camera please”.
Documents cited in reports suggest Epstein introduced Stern to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson in 2009, after which Stern became a trusted associate.
He is said to have accompanied the former prince on business trips to China and Southeast Asia and later served as a director of the Pitch@Palace initiative between 2017 and 2019.
In November 2016, Stern was nominated to join the St George’s House Trust board. Board members are said to have raised objections on the basis that he was being “imposed” on them by Mr Mountbatten-Windsor.
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Princess Anne (right) sits on the council in her capacity as a Knight of the Order of the Garter
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GETTYAmong those raising concerns was Sir Claude Hankes, the only life member of the council, who sought legal advice from the firm Joseph Hage Aaronson and Bremen based on information Stern had provided to the nomination committee.
The legal memo identified a number of unanswered questions about Stern’s background and asked why he had sought “privacy” in relation to his family history.
It warned that failing to carry out proper due diligence could risk financial and reputational damage to the trust “if a donor or board member exploits the credibility and connections gained from their position in relation to St George’s House or its patrons”.
The memo was circulated among members of the board. However, in December 2016, the trust’s then-warden, Dr Hueston Finlay, wrote to say Stern’s application had already been approved by the nomination committee.
“I do not share Sir Claude’s concerns,” Dr Finlay wrote, adding that Hankes’s memo had “raised no new material information in this matter.” He said members of the committee had spoken with Stern and had been “impressed” by his application.
Sir Claude Hankes is also reported to have raised concerns after Stern claimed to be a “contact of the Queen”.
Stern remained on the board until 2022.
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has always strenuously denied wrongdoing.
GB News has contacted the St George’s House Trust and Mr Mountbatten-Windsor for comment.
St George’s House was established to bring together individuals from different sectors of society to promote discussion and understanding of moral, religious and social issues.
The trust’s website states: “Then, as now, it was hoped that the wisdom nurtured through dialogue could be put to use for the good of our society.”
The organisation operates from a historic building within the College of St George at Windsor Castle, the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, where a Knight of the Order continues to sit on the trust’s council.
