Peter Mandelson asked for advice on Duchess of Edinburgh’s trip to New York

The disgraced former Labour peer was British ambassador to the Washington at the time

Peter Mandelson was asked for his advice on the Duchess of Edinburgh’s trip to New York last year, documents have shown.

Lord Mandelson, who was British ambassador to Washington at the time, received the email from Ailsa Terry, the Prime Minister’s private secretary for Foreign Affairs, in March 2025.

The email correspondence was revealed earlier today after the Government released the latest batch of documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as Sir Keir Starmer’s US ambassador.

The disgraced former Labour peer was sacked from his role as ambassador in September 2025 over his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

He was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

But Lord Mandelson has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was due to travel to the US in the capacity of Champion of the UN’s Women and speak at a meeting of the International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI).

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Peter Mandelson

Peter Mandelson was asked for his advice on the Duchess of Edinburgh’s trip to New York last year, documents have shown

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The PSVI programme had been launched by the UK government in 2012 and the alliance had also been created by Britain in 2023, but was chaired by Ukraine in 2025.

The trip coincided with the 69th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and aligned with Sophie’s long-standing advocacy for work preventing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, as well as women’s rights more broadly.

Eleanor Mackewn, the Assistant Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, wrote to No10 officials, informing them the King’s Private Secretary had asked the Royal Unit to provide “advice” and an “urgent steer” on whether the Foreign Office and the Government feel the visit should go ahead.

Mandelson files

Ailsa Terry, the Prime Minister’s private secretary for Foreign Affairs, forwarded the information on to Peter Mandelson

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Ms Terry forwarded the information on to Mandelson and his deputy, James Roscoe, who has since left his position.

“Hi. Not for forwarding,” the email read.

“Can I have your views on this? Our sense is that the advice below is sensible”.

Lord Mandelson’s response is unknown, but Sophie did embark on the trip solo the following week, where she delivered a keynote address at a UN Friends of Vision group meeting titled “No Woman Left Behind – Closing the Gender Gap in Eye Health to Achieve the SDGs”.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

Sophie embarked on the trip to New York in March

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“When we get it right with eye health, it has incredible, life-changing, far-reaching positive impacts beyond the act of saving or restoring sight, which is why I am passionate about it and why it is so deserving of our action and attention,” she said during the speech.

The Duchess, who is a Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, discussed the importance of eye health and improving opportunities for women and girls.

Following this, Sophie attended a meeting with Plan International UK, of which she is a Patron, where she met youth advocates from Lebanon, Ethiopia, Peru, and Jordan who shared their experiences of living through conflict and crisis.

They told the Duchess their own stories and struggles they had faced as women in their communities.

GB News has approached Sophie for comment.

CRE: https://www.gbnews.com/royal/peter-mandelson-asked-advice-duchess-of-edinburgh-trip-to-new-york