In a rare public statement, Ken Wharfe, who once served as Princess Diana’s bodyguard, has openly criticized Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor amidst his recent scandal. Describing the former royal as “one of the most arrogant individuals” he’s ever encountered, Wharfe did not hold back in his assessment.

Wharfe, a Scotland Yard inspector trained by the SAS, was Diana’s personal protection officer from 1988 to 1993. He condemned Andrew’s past connections with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, as “excruciatingly toxic.”

“I did, on a few occasions, have dealings with him in a professional capacity,” Wharfe commented about Andrew. “And I found him to be one of the most arrogant individuals I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.”

The 66-year-old Andrew was taken into custody on February 19, which coincidentally was his birthday. He was arrested at Wood Farm, located on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, on allegations of misconduct in public office.

After being detained for 11 hours, he was released under investigation by Thames Valley Police. Although he has not been formally charged, Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

This arrest followed a significant release of Epstein-related documents by the US Department of Justice in January. The files included emails that suggested Andrew had shared confidential reports from his trips to Southeast Asia with Epstein while acting as Britain’s trade envoy. In response, King Charles III issued a brief but firm statement: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”

Andrew had already been stripped of every royal title by October 2025. He surrendered the Duke of York title first, before Charles went further and formally removed his ‘Prince’ designation and ‘His Royal Highness’ style via Letters Patent.

He lost his Order of the Garter, his Royal Victorian Order, his place at Royal Lodge – where he had lived for over two decades – and his £1million annual allowance. He is now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Ken Wharfe, the SAS-trained Scotland Yard inspector who served as Diana’s personal protection officer from 1988 to 1993, called Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ‘excruciatingly toxic’

Andrew, 66, was arrested on February 19, his birthday, at Wood Farm on the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office

Speaking on the Suddenly Single podcast on Tuesday, Wharfe made clear he had tried to avoid commenting on the 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 said. ‘The whole issue of the Duke of York, as he was, and now Mountbatten-Windsor, is excruciatingly toxic, and continues to be.

‘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.’

Emails disclosed from the Epstein files appear to show Ferguson asking Epstein for £20,000 to cover rent in 2009, saying her landlord had threatened to go to the newspapers.

Ferguson, who divorced Andrew in 1996 but continued living with him at Royal Lodge until recently, has denied any wrongdoing.

‘It’s a subject that, as yet, is not finished,’ Wharfe added. ‘It’s only just begun, and who knows where this might end up?’

Wharfe served at the very heart of the Royal Family during its most turbulent years. He was bodyguard to the young Princes William and Harry from 1986 – the boys called him ‘Uncle Ken’ – before being appointed Diana’s personal protection officer.

He spent nearly six years at her side, becoming a close friend and confidant who, in his own words, shared her ‘innermost secrets.’

He left his post in 1993 and retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2002 after 35 years of service. He was later honoured by the late Queen Elizabeth II with membership of the Victorian Order.

He went on to write two bestselling books about his time protecting Diana – Diana: Closely Guarded Secret and Guarding Diana: Protecting the Princess Around the World.

Speaking on the podcast, he added that he believes Andrew’s downfall has compounded a difficult period for King Charles, who has simultaneously lost his brother to disgrace and his younger son, Prince Harry, 41, to self-imposed exile in America.

Wharfe (back right) was bodyguard to the young Princes William and Harry from 1986 – the boys called him ‘Uncle Ken’ – before being appointed Diana’s personal protection officer for six years

‘His father, the King himself, is going through a very difficult period of life trying to sort out his younger brother’s problems,’ Wharfe said. ‘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 candid about Harry’s marriage and what he sees as its failure to live up to its early promise. He recalled the initial excitement when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle as a moment that could have ‘moved and changed the Royal Family forever.’

He said: ‘He was a prince of the realm, marrying a woman of mixed heritage, an American, a divorcee. 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.

‘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 added that he believes Harry, despite his life in Montecito, California, with Meghan and their two children, is not truly 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 said.

Wharfe suggested Harry still has a role to play within the Royal Family and hinted that Charles may agree – but said it would require a resolution to Harry’s ongoing estrangement.

‘Does he have a role to play in the future of the monarchy?’ Wharfe said. ‘I think he does – quite how he does that, I don’t think he even knows yet.’