Royal Bodyguard’s Scathing Assessment of Prince Andrew and Royal Family’s Turmoil
Ken Wharfe, a former personal protection officer to Princess Diana, has spoken out about the ongoing scandal surrounding Prince Andrew, describing the disgraced royal as “one of the most arrogant individuals I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.” Wharfe, an SAS-trained Scotland Yard inspector who served Princess Diana from 1988 to 1993, didn’t mince words when discussing Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, labelling it “excruciatingly toxic.”
“I did, on a few occasions, have dealings with him in a professional capacity,” Wharfe stated regarding Prince Andrew. “And I found him to be one of the most arrogant individuals I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.”
The Duke of York, as he was formerly known, was arrested on February 19th – his 66th birthday – at Wood Farm on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The arrest was on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was detained for 11 hours before being released pending further investigation by Thames Valley Police. To date, no charges have been laid, and Prince Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
This arrest followed the US Department of Justice’s release of millions of Epstein-related documents in January. Among these were emails that appeared to indicate Prince Andrew had forwarded confidential reports from his trade envoy visits to Southeast Asia to Epstein, while he was serving in that capacity. King Charles III responded with a brief but clear public statement: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”
Prince Andrew had already been systematically stripped of his royal titles. By October 2025, he had surrendered the Duke of York title. Subsequently, King Charles III took the significant step of formally removing his ‘Prince’ designation and ‘His Royal Highness’ style through Letters Patent. His significant losses also include:
- The Order of the Garter
- The Royal Victorian Order
- His residence at Royal Lodge, where he had lived for over two decades
- His £1 million annual allowance
He is now officially known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
A “Toxic” Association and Unfinished Business
Speaking on the Suddenly Single podcast, Wharfe revealed that he had deliberately tried to refrain from commenting on the unfolding situation for as long as possible. “Ever since the Epstein crisis that hit the Royal Family, I’ve taken a personal stand on this,” he explained. “The whole issue of the Duke of York, as he was, and now Mountbatten-Windsor, is excruciatingly toxic, and continues to be.”
Wharfe highlighted the persistent media attention surrounding the scandal. “There isn’t a day now, in the last six months, where there hasn’t been a story surrounding the Duke of York, Windsor’s association with Epstein, which has now brought into contact his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.”
The Epstein files also contained emails that suggested Sarah Ferguson had requested £20,000 from Epstein in 2009 to cover her rent, stating her landlord had threatened to go to the press. Ferguson, who divorced Andrew in 1996 but continued to reside with him at Royal Lodge until recently, has also denied any wrongdoing.
“It’s a subject that, as yet, is not finished,” Wharfe cautioned. “It’s only just begun, and who knows where this might end up?”
A Witness to Royal History
Wharfe’s perspective is informed by his time spent at the very heart of the Royal Family during some of its most challenging periods. He initially served as bodyguard to the young Princes William and Harry from 1986, with the boys affectionately referring to him as ‘Uncle Ken’. He was later appointed as Princess Diana’s personal protection officer, spending nearly six years by her side. During this time, he developed a close friendship and became a confidant, privy to her “innermost secrets,” as he has described.
He left his post in 1993 and retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2002 after a distinguished 35-year career. His service was later recognised by the late Queen Elizabeth II with an appointment as a Member of the Victorian Order. Wharfe has since penned two successful books detailing his experiences protecting Diana: Diana: Closely Guarded Secret and Guarding Diana: Protecting the Princess Around the World.
A King Under Pressure and a Prince in Exile
During the podcast interview, Wharfe also commented on the added pressures facing King Charles III. He believes Prince Andrew’s downfall has exacerbated a difficult period for the King, who is simultaneously dealing with the disgrace of his brother and the self-imposed exile of his younger son, Prince Harry, in America.
“His father, the King himself, is going through a very difficult period of life trying to sort out his younger brother’s problems,” Wharfe observed. “But William and Harry, particularly, were to be part of the King’s future design of the monarchy. Unfortunately, he’s lost that third – that Harry third – who I think was an important part of restructuring the monarchy for the future.”
Wharfe was also candid about Prince Harry’s marriage and what he perceives as its failure to meet its initial promise. He recalled the widespread excitement when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, a moment he believed could have “moved and changed the Royal Family forever.”
“He was a prince of the realm, marrying a woman of mixed heritage, an American, a divorcee,” Wharfe said. “She had all the qualities that, had you given that ten, 15 years ago, there would be no chance of that ever happening. But it never worked because I think Meghan never really understood it. And I don’t think Harry really anticipated at that time that, in some months later, he’d be disappearing to America, to live a life of exile, almost.”
He touched upon Prince Harry’s ongoing legal battles regarding security when visiting the UK. “It looks as though he may well have won a case to restore his security when he comes to the United Kingdom. And in a way, although I was against that initially, I do think that the climate has changed globally, that maybe the government and the Metropolitan Police will actually agree to provide him with some proper security, which is always wanted. And where does that lead him?”
Wharfe suggested that Prince Harry, despite his current life in Montecito, California, with Meghan and their two children, may not be entirely settled. “I think the fun of those days in Montecito, and the celebrity world that he moved in, has faded and left him somewhat isolated,” he commented.
Looking ahead, Wharfe posited that Prince Harry might still have a role to play within the Royal Family. He hinted that King Charles may agree with this sentiment, but stressed that it would necessitate a resolution to Prince Harry’s current estrangement from the institution.
“Does he have a role to play in the future of the monarchy?” Wharfe mused. “I think he does – quite how he does that, I don’t think he even knows yet.”
