Prince Andrew “won’t get his way” in his bid to win back armed security worth £3m a year, according to a royal commentator.
The Duke of York lost his Metropolitan Police protection when he was forced to step back from official royal duties.
Political figures have weighed in on the Duke’s efforts to regain his taxpayer-funded protection including former Home Secretary Priti Patel, leading to her making an apology to King Charles.
She had emailed Charles’s private secretary Sir Clive Alderton calling for a review on Andrew’s security.
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Patel was later forced into an apology after the approach was leaked. Sir Clive also has no power over protection details.
Speaking on GB News, royal expert Michael Cole says he doesn’t expect any change of heart from the royal establishment on the matter.
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“Prince Andrew, who has not been a working royal and has given up the HRH title, wishes to have his personal protection reinstated”, he said.
“That costs the taxpayer around £3m a year. The glorious white wedding cake of a house he lives in, that is protected as it is a royal residence, but when he’s out, he doesn’t have people around him, and he wants them back.
“We have to save money somewhere, and that goes with the territory. If you’re not a working member of the Royal Family, you don’t get the personal protection.
“It’s another problem, but it will be parked, and Prince Andrew won’t get his own way. I can say that for sure.”
Prince Andrew PAIn a public apology Patel said: "It is disappointing that this correspondence has been leaked into the public domain and I apologise to His Majesty for the embarrassment and difficulties the publishing of this correspondence has caused."
Royal commentator Ingrid Seward criticised the manner in which Patel weighed in on the issue.
Seward told The Sun: “The King will be deeply embarrassed by this. The issue is so controversial he won’t go anywhere near it.
"Ms Patel should have known he has no power over these decisions.
"Her meddling was deeply unwise and deeply unfair on The King and will damage Andrew’s cause, not help it.
"And the bottom line remains, why should the public pay £3million a year to protect a man who rarely leaves his home?"
It comes after it was revealed that Andrew is expected to make an appearance at Balmoral alongside his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The Mail say that the trio will visit the castle as members of the royal household mark the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
