How Prince Andrew Rudely Responded When Asked About A Life Outside Of Royalty

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, continues to be criticized for his involvement with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. After the Prince’s reputation got dragged into the mire, reports of his demeanor subsequently emerged, causing even more damage to the royal family.

Recently, famed English journalist Elizabeth Day painted an even more unflattering image of the Duke of York, showing the 59-year-old as both childish and rude. The journalist recalls an interview almost 10 years ago where Prince Andrew blew her off for asking questions that hit him close to home.

The writer’s narrative begins with seeing Andrew’s famous giant teddy bear seated in a chair in the corridor outside of his office — a gift from his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson — and the Duke’s “strange” amusement with the enormous stuffed toy. Day suggests that the item’s presence is a projection of most royal’s “uncomfortable emotions.” She further postulates that the Duke of York might not have grown up “because he had never had to.”

“Here he was, taking up space in his mother’s house, carrying out a made-up job to keep him entertained and still having a teddy bear his ex-wife had given him,” the journalist wrote. “It was weird.”

She described him as “defensive and somewhat sulky” during their interview. Andrew’s uncomfortability was manifested by his “public schoolboy” approach. He talked condescendingly to her as if she couldn’t understand what he spoke of. She attempted to find some common ground but was simply blown off.

“What, I said desperately, could he imagine his life being like if he hadn’t been born into the royal family,” she shared, stating what she asked the prince at that time. “How on earth would I know?” was the prince’s reply.

“Well, I suppose you could imagine …” she said before being interrupted by Andrew. “But I’m a royal. I wasn’t born into a different life,” Andrew exclaimed.

The interview was cut off at that point, leaving the prince angry at the reporter. This particular incident made a mark on Day and showed how lacking in empathy and understanding Andrew was at that moment.

“I can imagine him, this man with his teddy bear and his arrested development, being as self-centred as a child and not giving any thought as to the impact his behaviour might have on anyone else,” she wrote. “I can imagine him, too, being baffled and semi-outraged that he is now being asked to account for his actions. I can imagine — but I’m not sure that he’s ever been able to.”