Prince Andrew ‘furious at losing taxpayer-funded bodyguards’
Prince Andrew is furious after being told by ministers he will lose his taxpayer-funded police protection next month, reports say.
Despite being stripped of his royal duties following an outcry at his relationship with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew allegedly wants the public to pay for his armed bodyguards, who cost nearly £3 million a year.
The change reportedly comes as King Charles seeks to distance himself from his disgraced brother and keep him out of the public eye.
But Andrew is believed to be dissatisfied and may attempt to appeal the decision to remove his security detail, who escort him when he leaves the royal estates in Windsor.
Paul Page, a former armed protection officer who served the Royal Family for six years, claimed Andrew was a ‘horrible little man’ who has ‘questions to answer’ about his friendship with Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
Speaking to The Sun earlier this year, Mr Page said: ‘Andrew has questions to answer – but I don’t think he will ever be in a position where he will have to answer them because of who he is.
‘He’s got the “HRH” title in front of his name, Ghislaine hasn’t – where is she? Jail. Where is he? At home.
‘He’s a self absorbed, obnoxious, horrible little man who is disrespectful to those below him.’
Earlier this year it was revealed the Prince had a collection of stuffed teddy bears on his bed at Buckingham Palace, and would ‘shout and scream’ at staff if they arranged them incorrectly.
‘Maybe they were presents from his daughters or Fergie, but it’s still strange,’ a palace insider told The Sun.
Andrew’s reported demand for taxpayer money also comes as the country grapples with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
A senior Labour MP is believed to have said Andrew doesn’t seem to understand the public consider him a disgrace.
The MP told the newspaper that Andrew’s title doesn’t mean he is entitled to taxpayer-funded protection.
Andrew has tried to stage a return to public life, but his requests have been blocked by Charles and William appear to fear his return would plunge the monarchy into crisis.
A recent YouGov poll saw him voted the least popular member of the royal family, with only 8% of the public having a favourable opinion of him.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.