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London, UK — Fresh allegations have emerged today concerning the financial conduct of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his decade-long service as the UK's special trade envoy. Retired civil servants have stepped forward as whistleblowers, claiming the former prince charged taxpayers for personal "massage services" and maintained a pattern of "lavish" and "excessive" spending.
The Massage Expense Controversy
One former civil servant, who served in the UK’s trade department in the early 2000s, revealed to the BBC that he had personally blocked a request to cover the cost of a massage following an official visit to the Middle East. Despite his refusal, the whistleblower claims he was eventually overruled by senior Whitehall staff, who insisted the bill be paid using public funds.
"I thought it was wrong," the official stated. "I’d said we mustn’t pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway."
A second source, a former senior Whitehall official with oversight of the department's finances, corroborated the claims. The source expressed "absolutely no doubt" regarding the authenticity of the reports, citing a long-standing culture of deference where expenses were "rubber-stamped" rather than scrutinized.
Concerns Over 'Lavish' Spending and Lack of Oversight
The whistleblowers described a system where Andrew was allegedly allowed to treat public money "like it wasn't real." Concerns raised by the officials included:
Excessive travel: Large numbers of hotel rooms and high-cost flights for extensive entourages.
Budgetary 'Hiding': Claims that costs often disappeared into various departmental budgets, making them difficult to track.
Liability Concerns: Some officials described Andrew as a "liability" who often went "off-script" and was occasionally rude to international hosts, potentially undermining diplomatic efforts.
Legal and Political Context
These revelations follow a high-profile week for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested last Thursday by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. While he has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged, the police investigation—reportedly linked to documents found in the Jeffrey Epstein files—is ongoing.
The Department for Business and Trade has not formally challenged the claims regarding the massage services but noted that the role of trade representative at that time operated under different rules than today’s more formalized trade envoy system.
Political Reaction
The reports have triggered immediate political fallout. The Liberal Democrats are reportedly preparing to force a debate in the House of Commons regarding the oversight of trade envoys, while MPs on the Business and Trade Committee are expected to meet later this week to discuss a potential formal inquiry.