Prince Andrew’s money rows – £12m to sex accuser, Eugenie funding fallout and Charles intervention
There are growing calls for clarity on exactly how Prince Andrew will fund the rumoured £12million to settle his sex abuse case – in which he denies all the allegations against him – and it’s not the first time he or his family have been involved in rows when it comes to funding
By: Jennifer Newton
After settling with his accuser in his civil sex case, questions are being asked about how Prince Andrew will fund the rumoured £12million cost.
It has been reported he receives around £249,000 from his mother the Queen as well as £20,000 annually from his naval pension.
This has led to a Labour MP to lead calls saying wants assurances in Parliament that public money will not be used to pay for the Duke of York’s settlement with Virginia Giuffre.
Meanwhile, the scandal, which has left Andrew’s reputation in tatters, risks further damaging the monarchy if the perception remains that he has escaped any financial obligations, lawyer Mark Stephens has said.
Prince Andrew, who has settled his civil sex case(DPA/PA Images)
Mr Stephens, an international reputation lawyer from the firm Howard Kennedy, said the duke will have to give details of where the settlement money is from or risk more “reputational damage” to the monarchy. Andrew denies all the charges against him.
However, it’s not the first time that there has been a row over public cash when it comes to Andrew and his family.
In 2011, there was a row over taxpayer-funded police protection for his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, which is said to have left Andrew furious.
Prince Andrew with his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie(Getty Images)
One royal expert said Prince Charles was even forced to intervene in the debate about funding for Beatrice and Eugenie’s security after it caused a row behind palace walls.
It is thought the heir to the throne stepped in after the younger of his nieces racked up huge security costs as she travelled the world on her gap year.
A report published at the time suggested Eugenie spent more than £100,000 of taxpayers’ money as she explored India, America, Thailand and South Africa.
She paid for hotels and travel herself, but the massive security bill, including overtime money, was funded by the taxpayer.
Speaking on Channel 5 documentary Beatrice and Eugenie: Pampered Princesses?, royal expert Richard Kay said: “She was sort of flitting from country to country as most middle-class young people do who take gap years.
“But, of course, she was accompanied by police bodyguards.
Prince Andrew’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie(Getty Images)
“That meant that we the taxpayers were paying for policemen to accompany her to the fleshpots of the world.”
Charles reportedly stepped in to control the spending, with royal author Angela Levin telling the programme he suggested Eugenie and Beatrice didn’t need costly security as it’s unlikely they will ever become working royals.
But Charles’s suggestion didn’t go down well and is said to have left Andrew angry.
Ms Levin added: “Prince Charles decided that as they were not likely to be very senior royals, that this was too much for the public to pay, so he stopped that.
“Prince Andrew was so angry that he wrote a note to the Queen.
“He said he wanted them to be considered as proper royals. He did not want the protection officers to leave them.”
Meanwhile, seven years later in 2018, a row was also sparked about the cost to the taxpayer of Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank. 
Eugenie, who carries out no royal duties, chose to marry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle where Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle just months before.
Dad Prince Andrew was said to have demanded a similarly glitzy event for his younger daughter with Sarah Ferguson. A royal source said at the time: “The Duke of York has insisted his daughter’s wedding must be a huge occasion to be remembered and wants everyone to get on board to celebrate the happy couple.”
However, it was reported the taxpayers would have to pick up a bill of £2million for policing and security.
It was also later reported that an extra £250,000 had to be added to the bill for the clean-up operation.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-andrews-money-rows-12m-26261315.amp