Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney attended a private dinner hosted by Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace in March 2014.
This event took place after Andrew’s controversial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell were made public.
The dinner, paid for personally by Andrew, brought together around 20 high-profile figures from the financial sector, including senior executives from major banks like J.P. Morgan, Barclays, and HSBC.
“I can confirm that the dinner was paid for privately by the Duke,” said a palace spokesman but declined to disclose the cost or whether Andrew regularly funded such events.
Carney, who was appointed Bank of England Governor in 2013, was invited by Andrew to discuss financial issues with other industry leaders.
“Mr. Carney was invited by the Duke of York, who brought together figures from a range of financial institutions, such as banks and hedge funds,” said a Bank of England spokesman.
This was Carney’s first time attending such an event hosted by Andrew.
Andrew’s reputation continues to suffer due to his close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a financier convicted of sex trafficking before his death in 2019, and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was found guilty of similar charges in 2021.
The revelation of Carney’s attendance at a party with Andrew has further drawn attention to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Carney’s associations.
Andrew’s ties to Epstein and Maxwell led to his resignation as Britain’s trade envoy in 2011 and continue to cast a shadow over his public image.
While the palace emphasized the dinner’s focus on financial discussions, questions remain about the appropriateness of Carney’s attendence, given Andrew’s association with such controversial figures.
As Carney runs for the Liberal leadership, his connection to Andrew could become a major issue, especially among voters concerned about ethical judgment and accountability.
The event highlights the connection between politics, finance, and royalty, raising questions about the relationships between influential figures and those with tarnished reputations.
For Carney, the dinner may serve as a reminder of the challenges he faces in navigating his political ambitions amid the lingering controversies surrounding his past associations.