Eye-watering amount Andrew cost taxpayers during 10 years as trade envoy

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor cost taxpayers almost £15 million during his 10 years as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, it has been reported. The allegations come amid continued investigations into his links with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with claims that the royal misused public funds and shared sensitive information during his official role.

Royal author Andrew Lownie's book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which will be released in paperback on May 21, shared details about how much Andrew costs taxpayers during the decade in his role. Mr Lownie wrote: "One UK official in a European embassy remembered 'lots of royal visits and how effective they could be’ but when it was suggested his embassy bid for a visit from Andrew – the then duke was at a loose end – his ambassador instructed him to write a bid that would fail."

He then added: "He drafted one involving early morning starts and boring visits to shipyards and factories far from golf courses. When a polite note explaining that the bid had been unsuccessful arrived, the official was summoned by the ambassador and congratulated for his good work.

"It is estimated that as trade envoy Andrew cost the British taxpayer almost £15 million in travel expenses and police protection."

Earlier in the book, the author claimed that Andrew turned down free stays at British embassies and instead used taxpayers' money for accommodation during visits to Hanoi in 1999 and Bangkok in 2017.

He wrote: "In October, Paul Scully, a former trade envoy and Conservative MP, said Andrew had turned down free stays at British embassies while travelling in Asia and instead opted to stay in hotels at taxpayers’ expense, notably at the Hilton in Hanoi in March 1999 and in Bangkok in October 2017 where he booked ‘pretty well an entire floor’ in the five-star Mandarin Oriental at a cost of £50,000."

Andrew was arrested in February on charges of suspicion of misconduct in public office and was released 11 hours later under investigation. His arrest came after King Charles stripped the former prince of all his royal titles and honours amid the ongoing scandals stemming from his relationship with Epstein.

He was also evicted from Royal Lodge and moved to live at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

He has denied any wrongdoing, and his inclusion in the Epstein files does not indicate any wrongdoing.