Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who has today been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, reportedly left palace staff baffled with his unusual requests, and expected them to pay particular attention to his peculiar collection
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who is currently being held in police custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office, reportedly made odd demands of his household staff, with one former maid recalling his unusual, childlike collection.
The 66-year-old, who was arrested today on his birthday at the Sandringham estate, was reportedly regarded as pompous and presumptuous by those who worked for him, with palace staff members allegedly subjected to peculiar demands. If his wishes weren’t adhered to, then the former prince would allegedly “scream and shout”, intimidating and demeaning those hired to keep his domestic sphere in order.
Having been stripped of his royal titles and honours – including his birthright title – Andrew has also now vacated Windsor’s 30-bedroom Royal Lodge, downsizing to the relatively humble Marsh Farm at Sandringham. But in his former life as the Duke of York, Andrew’s day-to-day needs were taken care of by his household team, who were reportedly even on hand to care for his extensive teddy bear collection.
READ MORE: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest LIVE: Former prince in custody on his birthday
A former member of staff previously spilt the beans on what it was like working for Andrew – including revelations about his rather unusual bedroom setup. Charlotte Briggs, an ex-maid who served at the Palace during the mid-90s, disclosed that the royal, who has since been stripped of his titles, kept 72 stuffed toys on his bed.
According to her account, the toys required precise arrangement by size, with staff spending an entire day being instructed on the correct positioning method for his bed. Speaking to the Sun, Charlotte recalled: “As soon as I got the job, I was told about the teddies, and it was drilled into me how he wanted them. I even had a day’s training. Everything had to be just right. It was so peculiar.” She continued: “But he absolutely loved the teddies and was very clear about how he wanted them arranged.”
The largest teddies were apparently positioned at the rear, with the remainder arranged in decreasing size order down to the tiniest at the front. Charlotte claimed Andrew’s two most cherished teddies sat upon mahogany thrones beside his bed. The overwhelming majority of stuffed animals wore sailor outfits, complete with uniforms and caps, and originated from across the globe.
Charlotte further revealed that the former Duke regularly flew off the handle with household staff, particularly when it came to his beloved soft toys. She remarked: “It took me half an hour to arrange them – most bizarre thing to be paid for.” Royal commentator Ingrid Seward, meanwhile, suggested that his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, likewise slept amongst the cuddly toys during their time together.
The expert revealed she was encircled by “around a dozen teddy bears” on his bed throughout their marriage. In an ITV documentary about Andrew, further allegations emerged regarding the handwritten instructions for positioning the toys and other belongings in the room.
According to former royal protection officer Paul Page, the handwritten guide mentioned two toy hippos, a black panther and bears, alongside three cushions labelled ‘Daddy’, ‘Ducks’ and ‘Prince’. It detailed precisely where to position blankets, plus five toys and a fur, which had ribbons that needed to dangle off the bed’s edge. Paul stated the instructions were laminated and headed “DOY bed: Points for turn down and making the bed”, with Andrew maintaining the corresponding diagram near his bed whilst residing at the Palace.
And he would “scream and shout” if his servants failed to place them exactly how he wanted, ex protection officer Paul Page told ITV’s Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile. This follows Andrew Lownie’s bombshell biography on Andrew and Fergie – Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York – which exposed more of Andrew’s requirements, with one former equerry for the Queen Mother branding Andrew a “rude, ignorant sod”.
According to Lownie’s book, Andrew demanded that housemaids in his residence scale four flights of stairs simply to draw back his curtains each morning, whilst he remained in bed right next to them. A source alleged: “His bedtime habits as a single man left a lot to be desired, and a collection of scrunched-up, soiled tissues usually lay scattered around the bed each morning for staff to collect after they had made his bed.” On another instance, Andrew reportedly summoned a television engineer to his royal residence during the early hours, insisting the technician demonstrate how to operate the remote control.
It’s understood that Andrew has not brought his collection of soft toys to Marsh Farm with him, with German news outlet BILD reporting that the ex-prince had taken just one lone teddy with him. The rest of the bears have reportedly been placed in storage” for practical reasons”, alongside pieces of furniture and other belongings. It’s unclear at the time of writing whether the collection will be stored in the London warehouse on a temporary or permanent basis.
Back in December, an insider told Heatworld: “He’s completely anthropomorphised them, to the point that he’s convinced the move out of Royal Lodge is going to be hard on them because, as he says, it’s their home too. It really seems like being forced to move has sent him into a full-on meltdown because he keeps telling people the bears won’t cope with the change, it’s like he’s transferring his own emotions onto them, the way a little kid would.”
Following today’s arrest, Andrew’s elder brother, King Charles, today issued the following statement: “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.
“In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all. Charles R.”
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