Home / The Sussex Family

Ex-Royal Butler Reveals Andrew's Behavior Behind Palace Walls: 'Didn't Want to Be in His Presence'

Former royal butler Grant Harrold claims that Andrew carried a strong sense of superiority, which made him uncomfortable to be around.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor speaks with staff as he visits 'Yammer,' a enterprise social network (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Geoff Pugh/WPA Pool)
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor speaks with staff as he visits 'Yammer,' a enterprise social network (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Geoff Pugh/WPA Pool)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor doesn't exactly hold the best reputation among his staff. Unlike other members of the royal family, the former Duke of York was allegedly seen as abrasive and indifferent by those who had the misfortune of working with him. Now, former royal butler Grant Harrold has echoed these claims in a recent interview, alleging that Mountbatten-Windsor carried a strong sense of superiority, which often made the staff uncomfortable and reluctant to be around him.

Prince Andrew attends the Sunday Service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor attends the Sunday Service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints (Image Source: Getty Images | Steve Parsons/WPA Pool)

In an interview on the LadBible Stories YouTube Channel, Harrold shed light on Mountbatten-Windsor's behavior behind the scenes. He said, "My interactions with him [Andrew] were very few and far between, and when I did have any dealings with him, in fairness to him, he was polite." Adding how he felt around Mountbatten-Windsor's alleged superiority complex, he stressed, "With him [Andrew], he had this—I can't even explain it to you—I just didn't want to be in his presence. Also, you know, from colleagues in the royal household, none of them ever had a nice thing to say about him. And I always see the good in everyone."

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor speaks at the Entrepreneur Award 2010 and the Love & Money fashion exhibition at Museo Franz Mayer. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Victor Chavez)
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor speaks at the Museo Franz Mayer (Image Source: Getty Images | Victor Chavez)

The former royal butler, who often praises the royal family, revealed that none of the other members had the same attitude as Mountbatten-Windsor. Recalling an incident from King Charles and Queen Camilla's 2005 wedding, which he attended as a guest, he shared that the former prince deliberately refrained from speaking to aides who were there as guests. He continued, "There would be a kind of 'thank you' or whatever, but there was also this feeling of, as a lot of people describe, an entitled feeling. You got the feeling he [Andrew] thought he was better than everyone, just his mannerisms and his...the way he was."

The then the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and The Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker, on their wedding day. (Image Source: Getty Images | Tim Graham)
Then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles on their wedding day in 2005 (Image Source: Getty Images | Tim Graham)

Unsurprisingly, Harrold has made similar claims about Mountbatten-Windsor's callous attitude towards his aides. According to the Daily Express, he once recounted, "The character that I remember, unfortunately, was never rude to me, but he [Andrew] was quite kind of dismissive because I was there as a butler. He was the only royal I never had any kind of conversation with, even in a social situation." As for why the former prince was least interested in interacting with his employees, he stressed, "Because you were staff, he wouldn't speak to you, he was always very kind of dismissive, he was never rude."

As if that weren't enough, revelations of Mountbatten-Windsor's alleged bad behavior were first exposed in Andrew Lownie's book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks, where the author pulled the curtains on his routine mistreatment of employees. In the scathing biography, he detailed how the former prince would reportedly fly into a rage if his collection of 72 teddy bears wasn't perfectly arranged on his bed. Lownie argued that Mountbatten-Windsor's alleged instructions for his aides were always, "I want this done, and I want this done now!"

GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

More Stories

Meghan Markle's brand site experienced its lowest monthly total of the year in July, with visits dropping in five of the last six months.
By Mary Anthony · 19 HOURS AGO
Royal experts break down Prince Harry’s shifting image in the UK.
By Mary Anthony · 20 HOURS AGO
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing fresh criticism as their latest creative project tanks at box office.
By Ira Deokule · 20 HOURS AGO
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship dynamic has changed over the years, according to a royal expert.
By Ira Deokule · 21 HOURS AGO
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had found their own special piece of home in Montecito, however, it is now temporarily threatened.
By Ira Deokule · 1 DAY AGO
While Prince Diana is an enduring style icon, her own two sons emerged to be her biggest fashion critics for a relatable reason.
By Ira Deokule · 1 DAY AGO
Foster criticized the vulture-like culture of the media and highlighted that a simple moment was turned into a 'hurtful lie'.
By Mary Anthony · 1 DAY AGO
During the star-studded David Foster Foundation Gala, Meghan Markle shared a heartfelt message with the expectant singer.
By Medha Sengupta · 1 DAY AGO
Political differences are reportedly putting a chill on Meghan Markle and David Foster’s Hollywood friendship.
By Mehak Walia · 1 DAY AGO
Royal expert analyses what went wrong with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after leaving the royal family in 2020.
By Ira Deokule · 1 DAY AGO