Britain’s Prince Andrew is at the centre of controversy today after a leaked document revealed how he criticised France and America and condemned 'idiotic' anti-corruption investigators during a trip representing Britain abroad.
US ambassador Tatiana Gfoeller described the prince boasting "cockily" about UK influence in central Asia in an expletive-laden discussion with British businessmen in Kyrgyzstan which "verged on the rude".
Her comments came in a confidential diplomatic cable contained in a tranche of 250,000 secret documents obtained by whistle-blowing web site WikiLeaks.
Prince Andrew's comments came in a two-hour brunch for UK and Canadian businessmen attended by Ms Gfoeller in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in 2008.
Her cable, published on the Guardian's website after the newspaper entered into an agreement with WikiLeaks, summarised the meeting for State Department officials in Washington.
"Astonishingly candid, the discussion at times verged on the rude (from the British side)," she said. "Andrew attacked the Serious Fraud Office probe into alleged kickbacks related to BAE Systems' multibillion-pound Al-Yamama arms deal with Saudi Arabia
"He railed at British anti-corruption investigators, who had had the 'idiocy' of almost scuttling the Al-Yamama deal with Saudi Arabia."
"His mother's subjects seated around the table roared their approval. He then went on to 'these (expletive) journalists, especially from the National Guardian, who poke their noses everywhere' and (presumably) make it harder for British businessmen to do business. The crowd practically clapped."
In "an astonishing display of candour", the British businessmen alleged that nothing got done in Kyrgyzstan unless the son of the then president got a cut, and Andrew agreed that he had heard the same name "over and over again" when discussing business in the country.
"At this point, the Duke of York laughed uproariously, saying that 'all of this sounds exactly like France'," wrote Ms Gfoeller.
Later, discussing the need for Kyrgyzstan to preserve the legal sanctity of contracts to attract Western investment, the prince joked: "They won't need to make any changes to attract the French!"
The prince "stated baldly" that Britain, western Europe and the US were "back in the thick of playing the Great Game", said Ms Gfoeller
"More animated than ever, he stated cockily: 'And this time we aim to win!"'
He castigated British and American governments as "stupid" for making plans for 10 years ahead while Asian powers were thinking in centuries.
At one point he said he was unsurprised that US investment in Kyrgyzstan was no larger than the UK's, explaining that "the Americans don't understand geography. Never have. In the UK, we have the best geography teachers in the world".
Labour MP John Mann suggested that the prince might have to consider his unpaid role as trade ambassador.
Mr Mann told BBC2's Newsnight: "If these comments by Prince Andrew are accurate - and of course we don't know that yet - then clearly it's of public interest that they are out there, so that he can judge whether he is performing the role well and government can make that judgment as well.
"Prince Andrew will need to think through if he is actually carrying out this role to the best of his abilities."
Other revelations in the second day of leaks included dispatches showing Chinese frustration with its ally North Korea and suggesting Beijing may be ready to accept reunification with the South.
Agencies