British police have enough to move on Prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson. Trump’s DOJ is the only thing standing in their way

British police are preparing to begin interviewing witnesses in royal and government circles as part of their investigations into Prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson. The case, however, faces a major obstacle: the Trump administration’s unwillingness to hand over original documents from the Epstein files.

Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police have launched full criminal investigations into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles’s brother, and Mandelson, respectively. Both are being investigated for allegations of misconduct in public office, with claims that sensitive material was passed to Jeffrey Epstein while they held positions of power. Both men have denied any wrongdoing.

According to The Guardian, the main obstacle to moving the case forward is the US Department of Justice, which has told British police it will not consider handing over original documents without a formal request. The Met has now sent that formal request to US authorities, asking for original and unredacted documents from the Epstein files.

The Epstein documents are key to whether charges can actually be brought

Without those documents, building a strong case against both men becomes very difficult. As one source put it, “It is difficult to make anything stick without those documents.” A senior source added, “It is very difficult for [the Crown Prosecution Service] to authorise prosecutions with the material as it is.”

Another source said, “A lot rests on having the originals. It makes it significantly more difficult.” Reports have also shed light on what Epstein privately thought of Trump, details that could become more relevant as pressure mounts on the DOJ to release the files.

British police are also looking into other leads, including flights linked to Epstein that arrived and departed from British airports. Investigators are examining whether those flights were used to traffic women into the UK for abuse. Six police forces are involved in these efforts, and a senior detective has been appointed to lead them.

The European anti-fraud office, known as OLAF, has confirmed it is also investigating Mandelson, covering his time as an EU trade commissioner from 2004 to 2008. OLAF stated it is protecting the confidentiality of the ongoing investigation and would not comment further.

The BBC has reported that Epstein housed some of his alleged abuse victims in flats in London. Six women have accused the late financier of sexually abusing them, with some brought to the UK after the Met declined to investigate allegations back in 2015. Trump has also publicly commented on Prince Andrew’s legal situation, making remarks that drew widespread attention.

Formal witness interviews in royal and government circles are expected to begin soon. However, the Trump administration’s position on the Epstein files remains the biggest barrier British police face in advancing the case against Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor.