Former Royal Bodyguard Lays Bare Arrogance of Prince Andrew Amidst Toxic Epstein Scandal
Ken Wharfe, the former personal protection officer to the late Princess Diana, has spoken out about the ongoing fallout from Prince Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, 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 guarded Diana from 1988 to 1993, pulled no punches when discussing the “excruciatingly toxic” nature of the scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
“I did, on a few occasions, have dealings with him in a professional capacity,” Wharfe stated, reflecting on his encounters with the Duke of York. “And I found him to be one of the most arrogant individuals I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.”
The revelations come in the wake of significant legal and personal turmoil for Prince Andrew. The 66-year-old was arrested on his birthday, February 19th, at Wood Farm on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The arrest, which saw him detained for 11 hours before being released under investigation by Thames Valley Police, was on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has not been formally charged and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
This development followed the US Department of Justice’s release of millions of Epstein-related documents in January. These files contained emails that appear to show Andrew forwarding confidential reports from his trade envoy visits to Southeast Asia to Jeffrey Epstein. In response to the escalating crisis, King Charles III issued a concise public statement: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”
Prince Andrew has already faced severe repercussions, having been stripped of all his royal titles by October 2025. He voluntarily surrendered the Duke of York title, and King Charles subsequently removed his ‘Prince’ designation and ‘His Royal Highness’ style through Letters Patent. His significant losses also include his Order of the Garter, his Royal Victorian Order, his residence at Royal Lodge, where he had lived for over two decades, and his substantial £1 million annual allowance. He is now officially known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Speaking on the Suddenly Single podcast, Wharfe revealed his reluctance to comment on the situation, stating, “Ever since the Epstein crisis that hit the Royal Family, I’ve taken a personal stand on this.” He described the entire affair involving the Duke of York, now Mountbatten-Windsor, as “excruciatingly toxic, and continues to be.”
Wharfe highlighted the relentless media attention, noting, “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 appear to implicate Sarah Ferguson, with emails suggesting she asked Epstein for £20,000 in 2009 to cover rent, citing threats from her landlord 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?”
Wharfe’s career placed him at the epicentre of the Royal Family during some of its most challenging periods. He initially served as a bodyguard to a young Prince William and Prince Harry from 1986, with the princes affectionately referring to him as ‘Uncle Ken’. His subsequent appointment as Princess Diana’s personal protection officer saw him spend nearly six years by her side, developing a close friendship and becoming a trusted confidant who shared her “innermost secrets.” He retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2002 after 35 years of service, having been honoured by the late Queen Elizabeth II with membership of the Victorian Order. His experiences have since been chronicled in two bestselling books, Diana: Closely Guarded Secret and Guarding Diana: Protecting the Princess Around the World.
The former bodyguard believes Prince Andrew’s downfall exacerbates a difficult period for King Charles. The King is currently navigating the disgrace of his brother while also dealing with the self-imposed exile of his younger son, Prince Harry, 41, in the United States.
“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. He added, “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 also offered a candid assessment of Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle and its perceived failure to meet early expectations. He recalled the initial excitement surrounding their union as a moment that 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 explained. “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.”
Regarding Harry’s potential return to the UK and security concerns, Wharfe commented, “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?”
Despite his life in Montecito, California, with Meghan and their two children, Wharfe suggested that Harry 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 remarked.
Wharfe concluded by hinting that Harry still has a potential role to play within the Royal Family, a sentiment he believes King Charles might share. However, he stressed that this would necessitate a resolution to Harry’s ongoing estrangement from his family. “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.”
