Prince Andrew faces losing around-the-clock police protection after Epstein scandal

Two months after resigning as a royal following his car-crash BBC interview, the Queen’s disgraced son is facing more bad news.

Prince Andrew faces being stripped of his around-the-clock armed police protection as the fallout from his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and car-crash BBC Newsnight interview continues.

The British Home Office is proposing a major downgrade of security for the scandal-hit Duke of York after he was sacked from his royal duties by the Queen, reports The Sun.

A final decision is in the hands of Home Secretary Priti Patel and the British Prime Minister.

A senior source told the Evening Standard: “A review was ordered into the Met’s protection of HRH The Duke of York once it was announced he was stepping down from royal duties in November.

“Those in charge of royal security cannot write a blank cheque for anyone who does not have a public role for the foreseeable future. Around-the-clock armed protection is very expensive.

“The Met is obliged to review the position to ensure it is justified.”

Prince Andrew (right) was forced to step down from his royal duties late last year. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

Andrew, 59, who faced a public backlash after his disastrous BBC interview, may now have to fund the bodyguards himself or face the prospect of having no protection.

The cost of protecting the royal family is not made public but is thought to be around £100 million ($A189 million) a year.

It is understood taxpayers forked out more than £250,000 ($A473,961) on the Duke of York’s security teams’ travel expenses when he was promoting his Pitch@Palace scheme.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We do not comment on individual security arrangements.”

The Sun has contacted Buckingham Palace for a comment.

CAR-CRASH INTERVIEW

The Duke of York faced a public backlash following his car-crash BBC interview, where he said he didn’t regret his friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein.

Andrew was heavily criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein’s victims.

The Duke has only been seen in public a handful of times since the interview, and a large number of his major patronages have accepted his resignation while others have cut ties with him.

The Duke of York is now keeping a low profile.

Last week, Andrew’s private secretary Amanda Thirsk, who was behind his decision to go ahead with the interview in November, agreed to quit.

It’s understood Ms Thirsk, who was employed by the royal household for 15 years, received a payout worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Meanwhile, police have come under fire for refusing to release details of Andrew’s bodyguards’ movements on the night he allegedly had sex with Virginia Roberts.

Andrew claimed he was at Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, on March 10, 2001 – the day he is accused of having sex with Ms Roberts.

Ms Roberts, 17 at the time, says she was trafficked by the Prince’s paedophile billionaire friend Epstein.

The Mirror submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for details of his police bodyguards’ movements – but the Met claimed the information could put national security at risk and aid criminals.

There is also a question mark surrounding funding for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s security costs after they announced they will step down from their royal duties and spend time in Canada.

The issue of who will cover the cost of protecting Meghan and Harry is still up in air. Picture: AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File

Their protection is said to be at the heart of government negotiations over the couple’s future abroad.

It currently costs the Met’s royalty protection command around £600,000 ($A1.13 million) a year to protect the couple and baby son Archie.

But the bill could at least double if the force has to dispatch close protection officers to Canada.

The Canadian Government is reported to have offered to meet a substantial part of the security costs.

Canadians are split over the issue, with some furious their government has hinted it will pick up the tab for Harry and Meghan’s security – which could cost millions a year.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission