21 July 2011 Last updated at 16:24 GMT
Prince Andrew to stand down as UK trade envoy
Prince Andrew has been in the role since 2001 The Duke of York is to stand down as UK trade envoy, the BBC understands.
Buckingham Palace is expected to confirm that Prince Andrew will give up his title as Britain's "special representative" for Trade and Investment later.The prince has been criticised over his friendship with controversial figures, including convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier.
The prince has held the role as UK envoy since 2001.
His remit is to promote Britain's business interests around the world.
His friendship with Mr Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution, led to calls for Prince Andrew to step down from his role in March, but Prime Minister David Cameron gave him his full backing.
The prince's judgement has also been questioned for holding meetings with Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif, and for entertaining the son-in-law of Tunisia's ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali at Buckingham Palace.
The prince's relations with Timor Kulibayev, the son-in-law of the President of Kazakhstan, have also previously been questioned. Mr Kulibayev purchased the duke's Sunninghill Park home for £3m more than its £12m asking price in 2007.
And in November 2010 a hitherto secret cable published on Wikileaks revealed a US ambassador wrote that the Duke of York spoke "cockily" during an official engagement, leading a discussion that "verged on the rude".
The UK's trade envoy works for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), which reports jointly to the Foreign Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
He does not receive a salary but has his expenses and travel costs paid.
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