Sir Ed Davey has said he regretted praising Mr Mountbatten-Windsor in his role as trade envoy

Former Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable has criticised an alleged joke made by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his time as a trade envoy at an important dinner.

Last week, the former Duke of York was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and was later released on that evening under investigation.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

From 2001 to 2011, the King’s younger brother served as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, but resigned following scrutiny of his expenses and associations with controversial figures.

Mr Cable, 82, was the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, as well as the President of the Board of Trade between 2010 and 2015.

The former leader of the Liberal Democrats has spoken out on whether Mr Mountbatten-Windsor achieved anything in the interests of the UK during his time as trade envoy.

He said: “I didn’t hear positive things. One thing I actually asked him to do was host a dinner at Lancaster House for a visiting Indian trade delegation.

“I got negative feedback about rudeness; it may or may not have been significant, maybe just jokes that didn’t go down well.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ‘rudeness’ and ‘inappropriate jokes’ hindered key meeting with Indian officials

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When pressed as to what type of rudeness, Mr Cable clarified: “Jokes that didn’t go down well with a visiting Indian delegation that could’ve been more or less serious.”

The 82-year-old continued to tell LBC: “I wasn’t there, I can’t… to answer your question, I didn’t get positive feedback.”

Elsewhere, Sir Ed Davey has said he regretted praising Mr Mountbatten-Windsor in his role as trade envoy when the Liberal Democrat leader was a minister in the coalition government.

Sir Ed was asked by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about praise he gave to the then-prince in a parliamentary debate in 2011 while he was a trade minister, and replied: “First of all, can I apologise to all those victims of Epstein who may have read those words and been upset by them. I really regret them.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor pictured speaking at Lancaster House in 2012

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He later added: “We do need to make sure that, whatever someone’s title and their friends, they can be held to account.

“So, I’ve learned from that, I’m pretty angry to be honest that I was put in that position, and I think anyone who has had any comment to make on Andrew as trade envoy over the years will be pretty angry that the trust that was put in him, the privileged position he had, he absolutely betrayed.”

Sir Ed also told the BBC his party was calling for the release of documents relating to Andrew’s appointment as trade envoy because “we need to go right to the moment when he was appointed, and then we can answer the questions about how he conducted that role”.

He added: “What we’re asking today is to make sure all the documents about the vetting, the due diligence, ministerial correspondence, is in the public domain, and I think that’s the right thing to do.”

Following Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest last week, King Charles issued a rare statement.

He said: “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.

“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.

“In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.

“Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all. Charles R.”

GB News understands that Prince William and Catherine, The Princess of Wales fully agreed with His Majesty’s statement.

GB News has contacted Mr Mountbatten-Windsor for comment.