Prince Andrew’s attitude towards staff members working at the Palace has been brutally described by a former aide in a royal book by author Andrew Lownie. The former royal aide, who worked as an equerry for the Queen Mother, claimed that Andrew’s approach towards staff was different to his own boss, and that of Andrew’s elder brother – the now King.
In a three-word rant, the ex-equerry claimed Andrew was a “rude, ignorant sod” and regularly spoke to the Queen Mother’s staff in an unpleasant manner.
Furthermore, in Lownie’s book ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’, the insider recalls a time when someone used the incorrect title for the Queen Mother and Andrew allegedly called them a “f***ing imbecile”.
The unnamed source further claimed: “He would talk to the staff, including me, as an officer talks to his subordinates. He would say things such as: ‘I want this done and I want it done now’ or ‘Have that done by such and such a time.’ I remember him always saying ‘Do it!’ which was his catchphrase of sorts.”
They added that they didn’t think Andrew was “a particularly nice person.”
The Rise and Fall of the House of York, by the historian Andrew Lownie, also dives into the prince’s ill-advised friendship with the disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, Prince Andrew gave up his titles, including the Duke of York, following a “discussion with the King”.
In a statement, Prince Andrew said that the “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”
Prince Andrew will remain a prince, but will cease to be the Duke of York – a title received from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth – as well as giving up membership of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain.
Prince Andrew has been under growing pressure over his links with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In the statement, he said: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Sarah Ferguson,will no longer be known as the Duchess of York, but their daughters will continue to have the title of ‘princess’.
The brother of Virginia Giuffre, the woman who alleged that Prince Andrew had sex with her at Ghislaine Maxwell’s house when she was 17, spoke of a “joyous moment” for survivors of Epstein following the statement. Ms Giuffre died by suicide earlier this year.