The former Prince Andrew has been dealing with some major changes in recent weeks. As well as losing his official royal titles, Andrew was served an eviction notice on his home, Royal Lodge, by brother King Charles. Meanwhile, former Royal Family staff members have been reflecting on what it was like to interact with the ex-Duke of York.
Speaking to GB News (via the Express), former royal butler Grant Harrold said, "The character that I remember unfortunately was never rude to me but he was quite kind of dismissive because I was there as a butler." Harrold continued, "There was never any kind of conversation. He was the only royal I never had any kind of conversation with, even in a social situation."
As for why ex-Prince Andrew didn't necessarily interact with employees, Harrold alleged, "Because you were staff he wouldn't speak to you, he was always very kind of dismissive, he was never rude."
Harrold isn't the only royal staff member who alleged that ex-Prince Andrew wasn't the most personable employer. For instance, in the biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, royal historian Andrew Lownie described what it was like working for the disgraced duke. A source shared with the biographer (via the Express) that Andrew allegedly thought staff members were "there to serve and not to question his actions."
The Express further reported, "Andrew demanded that maids climb four floors of stairs just to open his curtains for him, even if he was lying beside the windows," Lownie's book revealed.
Now that Andrew is set to leave Royal Lodge, it's unclear how many staff members he'll retain in his next property. However, reports have suggested that some members of royal staff have expressed concern about how the former Duke of York will spend the Christmas holidays.
