Andrew’s behaviour ‘so bad Prince Philip had to write apology letter’ | Royal | News
Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor was reportedly so abusive to senior royal staff that his late father, Prince Philip, was allegedly forced to write a letter of apology. The former Duke of York allegedly had a “physical altercation” with the head of the house, Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, after being told Buckingham Palace could not host the Pitch@Palace competition. The event is a high-profile Dragons’ Den-style networking and pitching competition that Andrew launched in 2014 to support entrepreneurs and tech startups.
“It was a routine household affair,” a senior staff member said in a book. “The Duke wanted to host a reception, but there was no room. It was that simple. Tony said he had to wait his turn like everyone else, and the Duke went after him.”
Telegram reports It concerns the alleged incident described in Hardman’s latest book, Elizabeth II, serialized in the Daily Mail. According to the author, the alleged incident was more than “a burst of expletives and a swipe of the finger”; one employee reportedly described it as a “kinetic” blow that shocked members of the royal family. Sir Tony has served as head of the house since 2013 and is the son of King Henry III. Under Charles’ rule, he continues to oversee official and private entertainment at royal residences, which includes hospitality, catering and cleaning services.
This incident reportedly escalated from the former Duke to the Lord Chamberlain, with Lord Peel escalating the issue with then-Prince Charles, and Charles later turning to his brother. The book claims Andrew’s behavior was so alarming that his late father, Prince Philip, was forced to write a letter of apology to Sir Tony. The Duke was unrepentant and allegedly told the Lord Chamberlain: “I understand you are calling people and causing problems.”
Other incidents mentioned in the book suggest a pattern of compulsive behavior. A royal son-in-law in Windsor allegedly waved down an aggressively speeding car, but Andrew shouted from the window: “Who do you think you are?”
The biography also claims Andrew defied palace advice to record his 2019 Newsnight interview at the palace. Lord Peel reportedly told Hardman: “The Duke had an overriding belief that he was better than the rest of us. His self-confidence and authority were off the scale.”
Other allegations in the book include Andrew shouting at aides and royal protection officers over minor matters, pushing staff away for trivial reasons and instructing others to salute when he entered a room. Royal writer Andrew Lownie claimed: “If anyone forgot, he would allegedly say ‘Let’s try this again’ before leaving the room and then go back in.”
Elsewhere, Hardman claims Jeffrey Epstein would make fun of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor behind his back.
“Jeffrey was making fun of Andrew and telling him how ‘stupid’ he was,” a source quotes a source as saying.
“He told me that he took Andrew on planes to meet these dictators and make business deals. Andrew meant that they would go to receptions and meet people and Jeffrey would make deals, and he said he gave Andrew a cut.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman told The Telegraph it did not comment on the books.
