Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor charged taxpayers for massages and excessive travel expenses while serving as the UK's trade envoy, according to reports from former senior civil servants. The claims, revealed by the BBC, suggest a culture of deference within Whitehall allowed the expenses to be approved despite objections.
A retired civil servant who worked in the trade department in the early 2000s said he refused a request to cover the cost of massage services after a Middle East visit, but was overruled by senior colleagues. He expressed regret that the expense was waved through, stating, 'I thought it was wrong … we mustn’t pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway.'
A second source, who oversaw finances, confirmed seeing similar claims for Andrew's trips, including excessive flights, unreasonable numbers of hotel rooms, and charges for his entourage. The source said, 'I couldn’t believe it … it was like it wasn’t real money.' The costs were reportedly hidden across different budgets, making them difficult to trace.
A third source described Andrew as an ineffective trade envoy whose visits could harm local relations. The source said, 'Andrew was seen as a liability. He went off-script, thought he was an expert, and was rude to people.'
The Department for Business and Trade did not deny the claims, referring instead to a statement from Thames Valley Police regarding Andrew's recent arrest. He was released under investigation after being held for over 10 hours. There is no suggestion of unlawful conduct, and his lawyers have declined to comment.
