Andrew Issued Dire Warning by Ex-Royal Protection Officer After Sandringham Scare
A former protection officer dismissed the suggestions of Andrew regaining official police protection after the threatening incident.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was recently criticized by a former royal protection officer, Dai Davis, after the former Prince was threatened by an individual in a balaclava when on a dog walk on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on May 6. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm on public land within close proximity of Sandringham Royal Park. As per the Telegraph, the unidentified man exited his vehicle and began to approach the disgraced royal while shouting at him.
As he appeared on Kevin O’Sullivan’s TalkTV, former Head of Royal Protection Davis steered clear of the suggestions of Mountbatten-Windsor regaining official police protection after the incident. As reported by the Daily Express, he stated, "The simple answer is no. I think the current security structure and system at Sandringham is more than adequate for this gentleman. There are 20,000 acres that he could walk about.” While criticizing the former Prince’s judgment directly, the former royal officer said, “[He] doesn't have to go near the public, and perhaps he'd be wise to stay away from those routes where the public can go.”
Davis went on to defend the response from Mountbatten-Windsor’s current security team, who are reportedly former royal protection officers and ex-military personnel. He said, “Those gentlemen looking after him now are, as I understand it, they are ex-royalty protection officers and ex-military, so I think they're as capable as anyone.” While lauding them, Davis added, “And I think they did the right thing. They didn't confront him. They quickly got him into a car and drove away.” He also praised the local authorities by stating, “And the police—Norfolk Police—work very closely, for obvious reasons, with Sandringham—they have a direct line, and I suspect the direct dial. And the man was arrested as it should be.”
The conversation then took a turn, and Davis began to discuss possible motives. He speculated that the suspect may have been ‘fixated’ on the royal. He elaborated, “I think he was probably fixated.” He admitted that such situations are common for members of the monarchy, and the former officer added, “What you may or may not know, since 2012, there's been nearly 1000 reported incidents to this unit, which was set up in 2006 to monitor and actually try and deal with those who are fixated and psychologically and pathologically determined to go after public figures.”
At last, Davis concluded by insisting that threats towards royals are far from unusual, “And the vast majority of those are the royal family. And it goes back centuries. It's always been a fear and has been acted on many, many times, which the vast majority of the public knows very little about. I can assure you, it is very common in protecting the Royals." As for Mountbatten-Windsor, Norfolk police later arrested the suspect following the incident.
