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Former Prince Andrew charged taxpayers for massage services when he was envoy -ex civil servants allege
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor charged taxpayers for massages and excessive travel costs while working as the UK’s trade envoy, whistleblowing retired civil servants have claimed.
One former civil servant, who worked in the UK’s trade department in the early 2000s, had been so annoyed by Andrew’s request to cover the cost of “massage services” that he’d refused to pay it, but says he was overruled by senior staff.
“I thought it was wrong… I’d said we mustn’t pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway,” he told the BBC, about a claim that followed a visit by Andrew to the Middle East.
The Department for Business and Trade has not challenged the claim about Andrew’s time as envoy, between 2001 and 2011, but has referred to the ongoing police investigation into the former prince.
The BBC approached Andrew for a response to these claims. He has always rejected any wrongdoing in his associations with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and denied any personal gain from his role as trade envoy.
Andrew’s role as trade representative was unpaid, but he had the support of civil servants and taxpayer funding for his overseas trips.
In the wake of the revelations in the Epstein files, the former civil servant, who worked for the former UK Trade and Investment department, says he regrets that Andrew was allowed to get away with expenses for a massage, when it might have been a chance to check his behaviour.
“I can’t say it would have stopped him, but we should have flagged that something was wrong,” says the retired civil servant.
Another source, a former senior Whitehall official, backs up the claim. This former civil servant, who oversaw finances in this area, had seen similar expenses for Andrew’s trips and says he has “absolutely no doubt” about its authenticity.
Both of the former civil servants wanted to remain anonymous, but have separately spoken to the BBC about their claims. The BBC has not seen proof of the claim about charging for massages from over 20 years ago. But the BBC has seen documentary evidence of the whistleblowers’ closeness to this area at the time.
And there is nothing unlawful suggested in Andrew’s behaviour.
The former civil servants had independently stepped forward, initially contacting the author Andrew Lownie, who is updating his biography of Andrew, Entitled. They then also agreed to share their testimony with the BBC.
One of the ex-civil servants told the BBC that he’d come forward to Lownie after he’d heard the author saying that no-one inside government had raised concerns – when the civil servant wanted to make clear there had been attempts to discuss this but they had been ignored.
The former senior Whitehall official said he had been shocked by the scale of Andrew’s lavish spending as envoy, including what he thought were excessive flights and unreasonable numbers of hotel rooms and charges for his entourage.
I couldn’t believe it… it was like it wasn’t real money, they weren’t spending any of their own money,” said the senior official, who said that even though he had a responsibility for finance in his own role, there seemed to be little control on spending or proper record keeping.
He says costs disappeared into different budgets, making them hard to trace, and there was little certainty over who had been in Andrew’s entourage.
The former senior Whitehall official blames the deference he personally saw being shown to the then Prince Andrew by very senior civil servants and their reluctance to challenge him.
Checks on Andrew’s trips were given a “rubber stamp”, he recalls, rather than any scrutiny.
There have been previous claims about Andrew’s liking for massages.
In a US court statement, a former employee of Epstein in Florida, Juan Alessi, claimed that Andrew had a “daily massage” when he visited.
Emails about Epstein have revealed a ledger with a list of payments for massages for an “Andrew”.
It’s not known if that is the former Prince Andrew.
Lownie’s biography, Entitled, also claims that on an overseas visit Andrew asked an ambassador to arrange a massage for him.
One of the civil servants speaking out says there were mixed experiences of Andrew on visits. He says he could be “good company” and entertaining, but on other occasions he had seen Andrew “shouting, being rude and generally offensive”.
Lownie has complained about the lack of publicly available information about Andrew’s time as trade envoy, to cast light on claims about the role.
The author has had multiple Freedom of Information requests rejected, including on the grounds that it would be too time-consuming for government departments to go through the volume of information.
Suggesting the scale of the unexplored files on Andrew, one rejection said that one year of his time as trade envoy would mean going through 1,927 digital files, each containing multiple pieces of information.
MPs on the Business and Trade Committee will meet later this week to discuss launching an inquiry into the role of trade envoys and their accountability.
Separately, the Liberal Democrats are preparing to force a debate on Andrew in the House of Commons, while the former Conservative minister Tom Tugendhat has called for an inquiry into the former prince led by a panel of MPs, peers and judges.
Another former UKTI senior civil servant, now retired, told the BBC that when Andrew was a trade representative he could sometimes disrupt rather than support efforts to boost UK trade.
“Andrew was seen as a liability. He went off script, he thought he was an expert, when he wasn’t. He thought he was funny, when he was being rude to people,” said the former civil servant.
It could take months of effort by overseas teams to prepare for one of his visits – only for it to produce a negative impact, says the former UKTI official.
When based in a sensitive Middle Eastern posting, the former official said he had worked hard to prevent the then Prince Andrew from visiting, coming up with excuses to delay attempted visits.
But the former UKTI official said there had been a reluctance to speak out about Andrew, in case it damaged careers.
“No one would complain, it wouldn’t help your reputation,” he said.
The Department for Business and Trade has not challenged the “massage services” claim, but has made the point that Andrew was the “UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment” and it was a different role from today’s trade envoys.
Envoys are now usually MPs and peers, appointed by ministers, and with a formalised set of rules of conduct, which did not apply at the time of Andrew’s time as a trade representative.
The National Coordinator of the Plateau Initiative for Growth and Development (PIGD), Nengak David, has appealed to residents to remain vigilant and help prevent further violence following renewed attacks in the state.
David urged people with credible information about threats, armed movements or plans for reprisals to alert the police or trusted community leaders promptly, without putting themselves in danger.
“Vigilance means recognising a threat and reporting it early. Tell the authorities where and when you saw it, and give only what you know firsthand. Do not approach armed people or attempt to confront them,” he said.
The appeal follows attacks in Barkin Ladi and Mangu. Plateau police confirmed the deaths of a senior officer and three civilians in separate incidents in Barkin Ladi, while a community group reported the killing of three men in Mangu.
David called on residents to reject reprisals and resist attempts to blame entire ethnic or religious communities for crimes committed by individuals.
“Every killing must be investigated, and those responsible must answer for it. Another innocent family must not suffer because someone chooses revenge or blames a whole community,” he said.
He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth representatives to bring emerging disputes to trusted mediators before tensions escalate. The United Nations Development Programme has identified local mediation and early warning as ways communities can help prevent conflict.
The PIGD coordinator also cautioned against circulating old videos, unverified casualty figures and inflammatory claims. “Before forwarding a frightening message, check when and where it was recorded. A false claim can spread fear and provoke harm long after the truth catches up,” he said.
David asked residents of Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu to observe the state’s 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and motorcycle ban, announced to remain in effect until further notice. He also appealed for food, shelter and other assistance to reach affected neighbours through trusted local groups, regardless of their background.
“Residents can share information and refuse provocation. Government, in turn, must act on credible reports, protect those who come forward and investigate every killing fairly,” David said.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that the visible achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration will secure victory for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the FCT during the 2027 general elections.
Wike, who stated this after inspecting the ongoing Apo-Karshi and Bwari-Kubwa road projects, stressed that good governance remains the most reliable metric for political success.
He said that the administration’s performance in infrastructure delivery, particularly in long-neglected satellite towns, leaves the opposition with nothing to offer voters beyond empty stories.
He argued that the tangible results on the ground make an unassailable case for President Tinubu’s re-election, including Sen. Philip Aduda (FCT) and House of Representatives candidate John Gabaya (Bwari Federal Constituency).
He said; “If good governance is a barometer to measure whether a government has succeeded or not, then we have nothing to fear.
“Now, the Tinubu administration has come and it’s not only listening to you, it’s not only caring for you, it’s solving your problems. Why will they want to change their mind?”
Dismissing opposition rhetoric, the minister said; “This is the campaign. The people who will come, what will they come with?
“They will tell them stories. But we have not come with stories, we have come with facts, verifiable facts. I can beat my chest, I can close my eyes and go home and sleep with my two eyes closed, that Tinubu will emerge. I have no fear at all.”
The minister pointed out that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has shifted development priorities beyond the city centre to directly touch satellite communities.
“The Renewed Hope administration has redefined infrastructure delivery as far as FCT is concerned, not just within the city, but also within the satellite towns.
“We thank God Almighty that has given us a President who has come to listen and to change the narrative that development must not only be concentrated within the city centers, but also spread in the satellite towns,” he said.
Speaking on the projects, Wike said the long-delayed Apo-Karshi road project was on course for completion in November.
He also said that the dualisation of the Bwari-Kubwa road, where residents turned out in large numbers to welcome his delegation, would also be delivered in December.
“Work on site is set to intensify by the first week of October as seasonal heavy rains abate,” he said.
. Dismantling the syndicate is another proof transnational drug networks won’t have any space to operate in Nigeria, says Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has once again struck a decisive blow against transnational organised crime with the dismantling of a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community in Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Two kingpins: 45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, alias Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George, were arrested in connection with the operation of the meth lab in partnership with a notorious Mexican drug cartel member, Rodriguez Villanueva, based in Mexico City, Mexico, after several months of intelligence and surveillance on the syndicate.
As a result, they were arraigned before Hon. Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a Drug Trafficking Organization, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act. After their plea, Justice Segun-Bello has now scheduled their trial for 21st October 2026, following an application by the Agency for an accelerated hearing.
Also named in the charge, and currently at large, are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, who is a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.
Investigations by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of NDLEA revealed a sophisticated, transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel. Surveillance activities by NDLEA between 1st and 4th December, 2025, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra States, ultimately leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered. The lab, fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of vast quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances, a haul consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.
A related search of George’s family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators, and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further underscoring the scale of the cartel’s operations.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), reaffirmed the Agency’s unwavering resolve to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel, and ensure that they all face the full weight of the law.
He
commended all NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in cracking yet another international drug syndicate. He described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels, warning that the Agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign. He reiterated his charge to all NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of relentless enforcement until the nation is rid of the scourge of illicit drug production and trafficking.
*PIGD Calls For United Response To Plateau Violence*
2027: Tinubu’s good governance ‘ll secure FCT victory – Wike
NDLEA busts Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, docks kingpins over Enugu clandestine lab(Photos)
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