The former prince is also said to have insisted on arriving to the south Wales valleys by helicopter while his mother Queen Elizabeth II was happy to arrive by car
Prince Andrew has been branded as a ‘rude, arrogant, and entitled man’ by a Welsh MP(Image: PA)
A Welsh MP has branded Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a “rude, arrogant, and entitled man”. Sir Chris Bryant MP made the statement in the House of Commons where he also spoke out about an interaction he had with the former prince when he visited a group of sea cadets in the Rhondda.
He said the group of youngsters were “absolutely delighted and excited” to meet a member of the royal family but Andrew left early and showed “next to no interest” in the young people.
Sir Chris also said the former prince insisted on arriving by helicopter in contrast to his mother Queen Elizabeth II who visited the Rhondda Valleys by car on a number of occasions.
The comments were made in the House of Commons as ministers and MPs agreed to release files related to the appointment of Andrew as a UK trade envoy. Trade secretary Sir Chris said the UK Government supported a Liberal Democrat motion to release files on the former prince’s appointment to the role in 2001.
However MPs were told the government is unable to publish material that police need for their inquiries until officers are “satisfied”. Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
The former Duke of York faces accusations of sharing sensitive information with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein while acting as a special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011.
He was taken into custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office last week before being released under investigation.
In the commons Sir Chris, who has been the Labour MP for Rhondda since 2001, described Andrew as “a man on a constant self-aggrandising and self-enriching hustle” and “a rude, arrogant, and entitled man who could not distinguish between the public interest, which he said he served, and his own private interest”.
He recalled Andrew visiting the Sea Cadets in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, when he was still a working member of the royal family. He said the former prince demanded to arrive by helicopter unlike his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
“They were absolutely delighted and excited to meet a member of the royal family,” Sir Chris said at the despatch box. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter
“But he insisted on coming by helicopter, unlike his mother, who came twice to the Rhondda and always came by car. He left early and he showed next to no interest in the young people.”
Watch Sir Chris Bryant’s comments here:
Sir Chris also said he wanted to “manage people’s expectations” about how quickly the papers on Andrew can be released due to the age and quantity of the material and the live police investigation.
He said: “It’s worth bearing in mind that the documents that might be envisaged in this are mostly 25 years old.
“Some of them are a bit earlier. They may be substantial in number and many of them will be in hard copy.”
The minister later added: “I am slightly trying to manage people’s expectations about timeliness, partly because of the quantity of material, and because there is a live police investigation, and I just don’t want to jeopardise that.”
Despite being stripped of his title last year the former duke of York is still eighth in line to the throne and an Act of Parliament would be required to prevent him from ever becoming king.
Mr Bryant said the UK Government was “working at pace” to bring forward legislation on succession “where we can” amid calls for the King’s disgraced brother to lose his right to the throne.
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