Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: Reports the disgraced prince charged taxpayers for massage services when envoy

Fresh claims reveal that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may have charged taxpayers for massages and excessive travel costs while working as the UK’s trade envoy.

A former civil servant told the BBC that he had refused the disgraced former prince’s request to pay for “massage services” but he was overruled by more senior staff.

“I thought it was wrong… I’d said we mustn’t pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway,” he told the outlet, about a claim that came after Andrew’s visit to the Middle East.

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Andrew served as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011, giving him access to senior government contacts around the world.

Duties of the role include engaging with host governments, leading trade delegations, and meeting businesses in the UK.

The claim that Andrew was mishandling public funds was backed up by a former senior Whitehall official who told the BBC he has “absolutely no doubt” about its authenticity.

He oversaw finances in this area, and claims he had seen similar expenses for Andrew’s trips.

He had been shocked by the scale of Andrew’s lavish spending as envoy, he told the BBC, including what he thought were excessive flights and unreasonable numbers of hotel rooms.

“I couldn’t believe it… it was like it wasn’t real money, they weren’t spending any of their own money,” the senior official said.

He added that costs were hard to trace due to them disappearing into different budgets.

The shocking claim comes just days after the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in the public office.

Police swooped in on Andrew’s Sandringham home last Thursday — his 66th birthday — and drove him to Aylsham police investigation centre.

Officers are understood to be investigating allegations emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files that he shared sensitive information with the convicted paedophile during his time as a trade envoy.

After spending 11 hours being questioned, the disgraced royal was driven home in a Range Rover without being charged.