Paul Page, who provided armed protection to senior royals, revealed Prince Andrew was ‘totally different’ to other members of his family, and would shout at staff over minor inconveniences
Liam McInerney Content Editor
05:00, 24 Oct 2025
Prince Andrew was a difficult royal to work under, according to one former officer (Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)
Prince Andrew allegedly screamed “buffoons” at Royal protection officers for being too sluggish doing one job.
This is according to Paul Page, who served as armed protection for the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Andrew between 1998 and 2004.
These claims about the man previously known as the Duke of York have resurfaced after 60 Minutes Australia re-shared an interview they conducted with Page three years ago.
When Page was questioned whether the royals were straightforward to handle, he responded that Prince Philip could be “tetchy”, the Queen was “wonderful, very polite, and respectful”, before stating: “Unfortunately, Prince Andrew was totally different.”
Page, who spent six years at Buckingham Palace where Andrew formerly maintained his own quarters, alleged he could “fly off the handle at the smallest thing” during his tenure there.
He will no longer use his Duke of York title
Offering additional details, he explained: “For example, if the officers on the gate, because sometimes they are dealing with things, they are dealing with guests, and he suddenly turns up, usually we would get a notice from his protection officer in the car who was with him that they are coming in.
“Sometimes it would be a case of we haven’t got the gates open quick enough, so if he has to slow down for a small minute he would shout out the window – ‘you f***ing buffoons’ and stuff like that.
“There was no leeway, if it wasn’t done right for him, then he would fly off the handle.”
Page also featured in a recent Channel 5 documentary where he alleged Andrew branded one staff member a “fat lardy a***hole”.
The former officer faced his own scandal in 2009 when he was jailed for his role in a property fraud where he conned people out of their cash.
He subsequently appeared in an ITV documentary with Ranvir Singh in 2022 titled Prince Andrew, Ghislaine and the Paedophile. During the programme, he memorably discussed Andrew’s outbursts and his “huge collection of teddy bears”.
Andrew, meanwhile, has been grappling with his own troubles after issuing a statement declaring he would no longer use his titles due to fresh allegations against him.
He had already been stripped of his Royal patronages and military titles in 2022 amid a legal battle with Virginia Giuffre, who died in April this year.
Prince Andrew in Bangkok in 2006 (Image: AFP PHOTO/PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL )
She had alleged notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein compelled her to participate in sexual activities with Andrew on three separate occasions when she was 17, something he has consistently denied.
Andrew, who also withdrew from public duties and no longer carries out official Royal engagements, reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia, which did not constitute an admission of guilt, and he accepted no liability.
Following his title removal last week, he declared: “In discussion with the King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Buckingham Palace opted not to comment in relation to claims made in this story.
