Prince Andrew secretly visits Bahrain ‘as he targets role as middleman between West and oil-rich Gulf states’

PRINCE Andrew has secretly visited Bahrain amid claims he is targeting an unofficial role as intermediary between the West and oil-rich Gulf states in the energy crisis.

The disgraced Duke of York, 62, flew out last week on a ­billionaire Swiss contact’s jet to be pampered in five-star, all-expenses-paid luxury by his long-standing friends in the kingdom’s Royal Family.

It was reported recently he has been eyeing a return to public life through a trade role although the reason for the trip was not recorded in the Court Circular as he is no longer a working royal.

Sources claim he “fancies his chances” of another stint as government special representative for international trade and investment — and believes he could try to persuade Saudi Arabia to increase oil production.

Others said he was in Bahrain on holiday as a “privately-funded” guest of honour. There are also claims that he sees the Middle East as a safe haven where he could settle, as his reputation in the UK lies in tatters.

It is his first trip outside Britain since the summer of 2019 when he was flown to southern Spain on a golfing trip a few weeks after the prison death of his paedophile financier pal Jeffrey Epstein.

He quit his trade role over his links to Epstein, 66, through whom he met sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre.

Father-of-two Andrew had been accused of sexually abusing her but they reached a rumoured £10million out-of-court settlement in February.

The Duke — nicknamed “Air Miles Andy” for his frequent trips abroad before he was grounded — is believed to be staying at the Four Seasons hotel in Manama where the Royal Suite costs £8,600-a-night and coffee is served in 24-carat gold cups.

He has been a regular visitor to Bahrain and is known to be a fan of its championship-standard course, The Royal Golf Club.

As a working royal, he had close links to its royal family and was with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2014, 2018 and 2019.

He visited the king’s eldest son Crown Prince Salman at his London residence in 2011 after more than 40 pro-democracy protesters died in a security blitz in Bahrain.

The Duke also flew to Bahrain in January 2014 and was met by Sheikh Abdullah, King Hamad’s second son.

He shared a close relationship with Sheikh Abdullah, who paid Michael Jackson millions of dollars to live in Bahrain for 11 months after his acquittal on child molestation charges.

Andrew joined a dinner for the Bahrain-British Business Forum at the Radisson Diplomat Hotel in Manama, meeting King Hamad and Crown Prince Salman.

In April 2018, he opened a UK naval base and a training centre for police provided by Huddersfield University, of which he was Chancellor. He met King Hamad once more, and Bahrain’s interior minister.

He returned in March 2019 to visit the naval base with King Hamad and, in May, took former wife Sarah Ferguson to the Bahrain Grand Prix and stayed at the Ritz Carlton as a guest of the Bahraini royal family.

He was due back in November 2019 but the trip was axed as it came days after the Newsnight interview in which he discussed his friendship with Epstein.

An insider said of his latest trip: “Prince Andrew no longer has a wide circle of friends but Royal Families do have a habit of sticking together.

“He’s been close to the Bahraini Royal Family for many years and has always enjoyed his trips to Bahrain.

“There are people there who have been loyal to the Queen’s son and have deep pockets.”

The Sun on Sunday understands that Andrew flew out on a VistaJets plane, owned by Thomas Flohr, 62, who has links to the duke’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.

They went to the Athens wedding in October last year of his daughter Nina, 35, and 36-year-old Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark.

A pro-democracy group critical of Bahrain’s human rights record has slammed Prince Andrew for his longstanding links with the state.

Sayed Ahmed Al Wadaei, of the Bahrain Institute for Rights & Democracy, called his relationship with Bahrain’s “corrupt” ruling family “toxic and shameful”.

He said: “For several years, he visited the country and met with Bahrain’s police force, despite their record of violence, extreme interrogation tactics, and use of torture.

“Prince Andrew has also been pictured laughing with King Hamad in the same year he ratified the execution of three political prisoners whose confession was forced through torture.

"When Andrew’s relationship with Epstein came to light, the first place he considered fleeing to in order to hide from public embarrassment was Bahrain.

"This reflects how deep his disgraceful relationship is with Bahrain’s corrupt dictatorship."

A source said: “If Andrew is not wanted in the UK then he can have a home and new life in Bahrain.”

Spokesmen for the Duke of York and King Charles did not want to comment.