Former British diplomat Simon Wilson has opened up about his 'uncomfortable' encounters with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who served as a trade envoy for the British Government between 2001 and 2011. Wilson, who was deputy ambassador to Bahrain from 2001 to 2005, met the disgraced former prince five times and said one thing was immediately noticeable.
Initial Surprise at Andrew's Demeanour
Speaking about his interactions with the late Queen's son, Wilson remarked: 'I have to say I was a little bit surprised about how sort of cocky he was.' He noted that there was initial optimism when Andrew took the unpaid trade envoy role, with Foreign Office officials believing it would open doors with royal families in the Gulf. However, according to Wilson, things 'started to go wrong from the word go.'
Detailed Instructions and Staff Dynamics
Wilson told 60 Minutes Australia that the Foreign Office received '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.' He added that a striking difference from other royal visits was that Andrew's staff seemed 'petrified of him.' In contrast, private secretaries of other senior royals were visibly 'very proud' to work for them. Wilson said: 'You really got the impression that they were really uncomfortable all the time, treading on eggshells, didn't want to put a food wrong and of course that transferred in the wider picture to us, the embassy who were organising things, we were treading on eggshells.'
Logistical Demands and Perks
Although the role was unpaid, Wilson claimed Andrew took a large number of staff who required payment. He also alleged that Andrew refused to travel on commercial flights, even first class, insisting on private planes. Furthermore, Andrew declined staying in free ambassadorial residences, preferring the best hotels on the island. Wilson expressed surprise that Andrew lasted a decade in the role and that 'so much went wrong.'
Unpleasant Nickname
Wilson helped organise three trips for Andrew and recently told the i Paper that he was 'rude and arrogant,' revealing that diplomats used the nickname 'His Buffoon Highness.'
