A former Royal Family butler has shared his reaction to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being detained last month, after the ex-royal was taken in for questioning on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Authorities brought in the former Prince Andrew as part of a Thames Valley Police investigation into claims he shared confidential information while serving as a trade envoy alongside convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He was questioned for several hours before being released later the same day.
Grant Harrold, who worked for King Charles between 2004 and 2011, later reflected on his years in royal service in his memoir The Royal Butler: My remarkable life of royal service.
Harrold said he only encountered Andrew occasionally, but in a recent interview with LADbible Stories he described how surprised he was to see a royal figure taken into custody.
“When I saw him get arrested, it was a bit of a shock because we haven’t had a royal since Charles I. It was unprecedented to actually see what took place, and I think that’s why the King removed the titles because I think the King knew what was coming.
“The household have got their contacts. They work with the government, with the police who protect them. They are going to be aware of what’s coming and something was definitely said for them to made the drastic measures they took. It’s probably good they took those measures, especially with what then took place.”
In October, Andrew announced he would stop using his royal titles amid what he described as ongoing allegations.
“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” he said in a statement.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
The statement went on to explain he would also stop using honours previously granted to him.
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me.
“As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Harrold also claimed that, from his limited interactions with Andrew, he sensed an attitude that set him apart from other members of the family.
Harrold told LADbible how you got a feeling from Andrew that he believed ‘he thought he was better than everyone’.
“The former royal butler added: “What was weird for me was no other member of the family did you get that vibe from, not from the Queen, not from Prince Phillip, not from his brother Charles, not from Anne, none of them.
“But with him he had this, I can’t even explain it, I just didn’t want to be in his presence. Luckily I didn’t have to do much for him.””