Prince Andrew earned himself unfortunate nickname over his 'boorish' behaviour: report

Queen's second son Prince Andrew "rubbed people up the wrong way" when he was a UK trade envoy, claimed a former ambassador.

Sir Ivor Roberts, a former ambassador to Italy, Yugoslavia and Ireland told The Times in 2019 that he was forced to send in officials to clear up the mess the royal left behind.

Ivor Roberts was reported to have said that Andrew had “rubbed people up the wrong way” during a trip to Italy.

The former diplomate recalled: “He met a representative from an extremely popular fashion house, Schiapelli, and asked who she was. ‘Never heard of you’, he replied.

“Andrew was full of his own self-importance and there was a lot of standing on ceremony.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2011, Sir Ivor revealed he “had to send my deputy the next week to smooth ruffled feathers”.

Meanwhile, Simon Wilson, Britain’s former deputy head of mission in Bahrain, once admitted Andrew earned himself a rather unfortunate nickname over his “boorish” behaviour.

He told the Daily Mail in 2010: “HRH the Duke of York was more commonly known among the British diplomatic community in the Gulf as HBH: His Buffoon Highness.

“This nickname stemmed from his childish obsession with doing exactly the opposite of what had been agreed in pre-visit meetings with his staff.”

Simon Wilson, as reported by express.co.uk, added: “He appeared to regard himself as an expert in every matter… Colleagues put this down to an inferiority complex about being mentally challenged.”

Prince Andrew is set to face a two-day grilling with his sexual assault accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s lawyers during a deposition hearing next month.