Former Prince Andrew may have passed potentially confidential information about his work as a trade envoy to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of Epstein case documents.

In an email dated November 30, 2010, seen by AFP, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then Duke of York and whose email address appears as "The Duke", forwarded to the American financier, five minutes after receiving them from his assistant at the time, reports concerning visits to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shenzhen (China), and Singapore.

In another email from October 2010 quoted by the BBC, Andrew also sent details of his upcoming trips to these same destinations.

Andrew was the UK's Special Representative for International Trade from 2001 to 2011, before resigning due to criticism of his spending and the way he carried out the role.

King Charles III, his brother, stripped him of all his royal titles in October following further revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew was accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre, the main prosecution witness in the Epstein case, accusations which he has always denied.

However, new undated photos released in late January as part of the Epstein case have further fueled suspicions.

He is seen kneeling and leaning over a young woman whose face has been blacked out. Emails inviting Epstein to Buckingham Palace to speak "privately" have also surfaced.

Andrew has not made any statements recently.

Buckingham Palace confirmed that he moved last Monday from his luxurious residence on the royal estate of Windsor to a private property of the King in Norfolk (northeast).