For over a decade, Dickie Arbiter was the trusted voice for Queen Elizabeth II, managing her public affairs with discretion and professionalism. During his tenure, he occasionally crossed paths with the late monarch’s “favourite” son, Prince Andrew, and now, he offers a stark and candid portrayal of the disgraced royal.
Arbiter describes Andrew Mountbatten Windsor as nothing short of a “bully.” Though his role didn’t involve frequent interactions with the prince, Dickie recalls the occasions when they did meet were marked by arrogance, rudeness, and a difficult demeanor. “On the rare occasions I dealt with him, he was arrogant, rude, and bumptious,” Arbiter said.
Unlike many palace staff who remained silent, Arbiter was one of the few who dared to confront Andrew’s bullying behavior. One colleague warned him: “Speaking to him like that, you’ll get fired.” To which Arbiter responded, “No, he won’t. He won’t tell anyone. Bullies don’t tell anybody.”
READ MORE: Kaleb Cooper’s Jolly Pines Offers Free Christmas Trees to UK Pubs
READ MORE: Football Fans Receive Three-Year Bans Following Massive Cheltenham Brawl
The former press secretary was unsurprised when King Charles took decisive action to strip Andrew of his titles and honours. “It’s been a long time coming,” Arbiter noted. “This has been ongoing since 2019, following that disastrous Newsnight interview.”
Public scrutiny of Andrew intensified following the publication of Andrew Lownie’s scathing exposé on the House of York and Virginia Giuffre’s heartbreaking memoir, Nobody’s Girl. Despite multiple allegations, Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Arbiter believes King Charles had a crucial responsibility to protect the monarchy’s reputation. “It was a duty that the King had to push forward with,” he told Times Radio.
In October, Andrew voluntarily gave up several titles, including Duke of York, claiming that ongoing accusations were a distraction from the Royal Family’s work. Yet, last week, King Charles escalated matters by initiating a formal process to remove all of Andrew’s royal titles, including the princely title he had held since birth.
Buckingham Palace confirmed: “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.” From now on, Andrew will be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
In addition, formal notice has been served to remove the 65-year-old former prince from Royal Lodge, his longtime residence on the Windsor estate. Royal historian Kelly Swaby described Buckingham Palace’s choice of words in their announcement as “very brutal,” emphasizing that the language reflected the Palace’s awareness of public sentiment demanding accountability.
Further diminishing his royal standing, Andrew was stripped of his honorary vice-admiral rank just a week after losing his princely title. In exchange for Royal Lodge, the King has offered him a smaller residence at Sandringham Estate and an annual allowance of £1,000,000.
Although these changes take effect immediately, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is expected to remain in Royal Lodge until after Christmas, missing the traditional family gathering at Sandringham.
Meanwhile, Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, currently residing in a separate part of Royal Lodge, is expected to find new accommodations.