'Tax haven' tag strikes again

Monday 02 December 2019

Guernsey's reputation as a 'tax haven' has been thrust back into the national spotlight as more reports about Prince Andrew's private life and business affairs were front page news over the weekend.

The Daily Mail, The Sun, The Guardian, The Times and others all ran stories linking His Royal Highness with the Rowland family, who have links to the island.

David Rowland, the son of a scrap dealer who made his fortune in property, owns Havilland Hall and is reported to have a net worth of £612million, according to the Sunday Times rich list.

It has previously been reported that Prince Andrew has attended functions at Havilland Hall, including in 2005 when he is believed to have unveiled a statue in the grounds of the property on Le Vaquiedor. 

According to Wikipedia, 'the Rowland family is an investment adviser' to the Queen's second eldest son.

Pictured: Prince Andrew's links with the Guernsey resident David Rowland have been well known for years. 

Mr Rowland's links with Prince Andrew were the subject of news reports this weekend as the Duke of York continues to face repercussions due to his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Daily Mail reported that Mr Rowland, like Epstein, had helped the Duchess of York out financially as she famously faced money troubles.

Prince Andrew was also involved with the takeover of an Icelandic bank, which Mr Rowland renamed Banquette's Havilland. The Daily Mail reports that at the time, Andrew said: "In the past I have had the pleasure to meet and work with the Rowland family in the framework of my functions and I wish the family every success in this new business venture."

It was also reported in the Sunday Times that Prince Andrew had passed 'government documents' to Mr Rowland, having accompanied him on a 'string of trade missions while he was working as a trade envoy for the UK'.  

Pictured: Prince Andrew's name has rarely been off the front pages since he was interviewed by Emily Maitlis for the BBC. 

Prince Andrew had lost his role as an official trade envoy for the UK when his friendship with Epstein was first reported, after he was convicted of sex offences.

As the Queen has now asked her second eldest son to step back from his Royal duties, questions have been asked about how he finances his expensive lifestyle.

Pictured top: Prince Andrew and some of the headlines referencing Guernsey yesterday. (PA)