Former diplomat Simon Wilson slammed Prince Andrew as a ‘cocky’ envoy whose ‘petrified’ staff endured diva demands for room-temp water and lavish private jets
A former colleague of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has lifted the lid on his “cocky” behaviour, claiming his staff were left “treading on eggshells” over his bizarre list of demands. The ex-top diplomat has slammed the former Prince’s conduct during his decade-long stint as a UK trade envoy, branding his entourage “petrified” of the royal.
Simon Wilson, who served as the deputy ambassador to Bahrain between 2001 and 2005, didn’t hold back when describing his time working alongside the King’s brother.
Speaking on his first impressions, Wilson admitted he was stunned by Andrew’s approach to the high-profile role. He said: “I have to say I was a little bit surprised about how sort of cocky he was.”
While Foreign Office officials originally hoped Andrew’s royal status would help butter up Gulf Royal Families, they were instead met with “reams” of specific instructions regarding his diva lifestyle.
According to Wilson, the former Duke’s list of likes and dislikes was exhaustive, particularly when it came to his refreshments.
Speaking to 60 Minutes Australia, he said: “We started to get reams of instructions about his likes and dislikes in terms of food, that he didn’t drink alcohol, tea or coffee, but would drink still water, room temperature, no ice.”
The way Andrew allegedly treated those in his inner circle also raised eyebrows. Wilson claimed there was a “stark contrast” between his team and the staff of other senior royals.
While most royal aides were “very proud” of their jobs, Andrew’s staff reportedly looked like they were in a constant state of panic.
Wilson said: “One thing that was noticeable… was that his staff seemed to be petrified of him. You really got the impression that they were really uncomfortable all the time, treading on eggshells, didn’t want to put a foot wrong.”
Despite the trade envoy role being unpaid, Wilson alleged that Andrew racked up massive bills for the taxpayer by refusing commercial flights and insisting on private jets.
He was also said to have preferred staying in “opulent hotels” over ambassadorial residences which would have cost nothing, as well as travelling with a huge team whose expenses had to be covered.
Despite the diplomat’s scathing review, some heavy hitters in government previously jumped to Andrew’s defence.
Former Chancellor George Osborne said: “He’s done a good job in recent years,” adding that he had “promoted British exports.”
Former Foreign Secretary William Hague also previously backed Andrew, saying he was representing Britain “very well.”
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