Prince Andrew made the decision to bring an ironing board on a trade mission, which stunned diplomats also in attendance, a new documentary has revealed. The trip occurred when the Duke of York was the Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. Former diplomat Simon Wilson claimed that Andrew “always bought a large entourage with him” and insisted on only drinking water at room temperature.
Mr Wilson spoke of the odd additon to the royal tour in the new ITVX documentary, The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor.
He said that Andrew would travel with “a private secretary, an equerry, a valet, a lady clerk and a business advisor”.
The diplomat added: “We were shocked when a 6ft ironing board was trying to be negotiated into one of the embassy cars.
“I asked the valet [about it], and said, ‘this is insane’.
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“The valet’s reply was, ‘no one knows how to iron his Royal Highness’ trousers like me’.”
Mr Wilson also revealed that the Duke of York insisted on only drinking water at room temperature.
Prince Andrew made a rare appearance over the weekend at the Royal Family’s Easter Sunday service.
On April 9, Andrew joined the King, Queen Consort and the rest of the royals in attendance at Windsor Castle.
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Andrew, who wore a dark suit, walked into the church next to Princess Anne – and just behind his brother and sister-in-law.
Former MP Norman Baker recently told the Sun that Andrew is trying to “worm his way back into public life” when he “should be serving a long period of silence”.
Andrew is no longer a senior royal, holding no formal engagements within the Royal Family.
In 2019, Andrew stepped back from royal duties following a sex scandal that gripped the media.
Following backlash from his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, Andrew asked the late Queen for permission to step down.
Prince Andrew has always denied the accusations made against him.
