Prince Andrew ‘WON’T lose his £300k-a-year security detail’ amid sex abuse case as Harry calls for bodyguard cash back
PRINCE Andrew won’t lose his £300,000-a-year security detail after he was stripped of his titles – as Harry launches a bid to sue the Government for police protection.
The Duke of York is facing calls to pay for his own security after the Queen released a statement revealing he has been effectively banished from the Royal Family.
Andrew was set to lose all three protection officers in June 2020 following a Home Office cost-cutting review – but clung onto them after the Queen intervened.
His minders are each thought to cost £100,000 a year in wages, flights, perks and hotels.
Her Majesty’s youngest son Edward and his wife Sophie were also set to lose their protection. However, a source said Andrew was the most “persuasive” as he lobbied his mother.
News that he will reportedly retain the bodyguards comes as he prepares to fight a civil sex abuse case after learning this week it will be going ahead, despite a battle by his lawyers to have it thrown out.
Meanwhile, his nephew Harry says he, wife Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet can’t return to the UK because it’s too dangerous without security.
He’s offered to pay the bill himself – but was denied by the Government.
News of Harry’s lawsuit bookends a tumultuous week for the monarchy.
ANDREW BANISHED
The Queen confirmed on Thursday that Andrew, who vehemently denies any wrongdoing, will be tried as a private citizen as he’s shunned from public life.
Andrew reportedly fears being left broke by the case.
It’s reported the Queen was previously paying his legal bills, already more than £2million. He could also pay accuser Virginia Giuffre £10m if he settles the case.
The monarch came to her decision after a summit with William and Charles, during which both future kings said Andrew’s position is “grave” – and that he must withdraw from the family.
Andrew will no longer be able to use ‘HRH’, although he is likely to continue holding his dukedom as an Act of Parliament is needed to relinquish him of that title.
In spite of that, he will continue to be provided with protection at the taxpayers’ expense – but only while in the UK, it’s believed. The Palace refused to comment this morning.
His daughters Beatrice and Eugenie received official protection until 2011 but now foot the bill themselves.
‘£2M A YEAR FOR TAXPAYER’
Security minister Damian Hinds has refused to confirm speculation, telling LBC: “Our security forces, the police and others, do what they judge is necessary to protect our country, to protect people in it.”
It was a “longstanding and I think correct principle that we don’t talk about who and how in particular”, he added.
As a senior royal, Andrew has round-the-clock Scotland Yard protection.
Security costs are never discussed by Buckingham Palace or the Metropolitan Police – although it’s estimated the annual cost could be as high as £2million, the Guardian reports.
Graham Smith of campaign group Republic told Sky: “Why should we be paying for their security? The job of the monarchy is to give us one head of state – we don’t need to be giving security to all of them. Lots of celebrities and other high-profile people pay for their own security.
“Given that he’s no longer in any real sense a member of the royal household it does make sense he pays for his own security.”
The issue was last raised when Meghan and Harry stepped back from the family.
Sorry Harry, that’s not how this works – I don’t give a damn if you want to pay for police yourself
Piers Morgan
The Duke of Sussex told Oprah he bagged multi-million pound deals with Netflix and Spotify because he was forced to pay for security.
This morning, the couple were blasted by Piers Morgan in an interview with Sophie Raworth on the BBC.
The firebrand presenter, who resigned from Good Morning Britain following a spat with Meghan, said it was “absolutely chillingly inevitable” that the Sussexes would “pop their heads up again right when the Queen least wants them to”.
“I feel so sorry for the Queen. It’s her Platinum Jubilee coming,” he said.
“The timing of it so appalling.
“She’s lost her husband, she’s got this awful situation with Andrew, and now her grandson [who has been] baiting the Royal Family and the monarchy all year has popped up from his mansion in California to say that when he comes back to the UK he wants to have the British police protect him.
COURT BATTLE LOOMS
“Sorry mate, that’s now how this works.”
He said he doesn’t “give a damn” if Harry is paying for protection or not.
“Why should the British police protect him?” he said.
“He’s now a private citizen. He doesn’t do any royal duties.
“They’re making hundreds of millions of dollars fleecing their royal titles, which they still have while simultaneously trashing Royal Family and monarchy.
“Now they want to have cake and eat it as always.”
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And he called for them to have their royal titles taken away too.
“I wouldn’t let them have royal titles. It’s a brazen double standard.
“If you want royal titles, do royal duties,” he said.
