De Rothschild left bank after sexual misconduct claim

A spokesman for the bank said it “does not tolerate and never will tolerate behaviour of this nature.”

The memo, first published by the Daily Telegraph, external, said: “We discovered a single complaint of sexual misconduct in late 2003.”

“This case was investigated immediately, dealt with appropriately, with full support for the colleague concerned, and led to Sir Evelyn de Rothschild leaving the group in March 2004.”

“We have found no record of any other complaint relating to Sir Evelyn,” the memo added.

The Guardian report said that at least eight sources had alleged that Sir Evelyn used his position at the bank to abuse women who worked with him.

The women felt unable to raise their concerns at the time because of Sir Evelyn’s position at the bank and in society, the article said.

As well as his role advising the Queen, Sir Evelyn occupied a prominent position in British life, and was chairman of the Economist and on the board of the company which owned the Daily Telegraph.

He spent more than 40 years at the family firm, including 28 years as chair of NM Rothschild, the group’s UK-based investment bank.

He was knighted in 1989.