"I thought it was wrong I'd said we mustn't pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway, a former civil servant told the BBC, referring to a claim that followed a visit to the Middle East. The source, who worked in the UK's trade department in the early 2000s and is now retired, said he was annoyed by Andrew's request to cover the cost of massage services, and refused. But he claimed he was overruled by senior colleagues."
"The broadcaster reported that a second source, who oversaw finances in this area, saw similar expense claims for Andrew's trips and had absolutely no doubt about the authenticity of the allegations. The BBC also reported on claims for the costs of excessive flights, unreasonable numbers of hotel rooms and charges for Andrew's entourage. I couldn't believe it it was like it wasn't real money, they weren't spending any of their own money, a source said."
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor charged taxpayer funds for massages and excessive travel expenses while serving as the UK trade envoy. Former senior civil servants expressed shock and described a culture of deference in Whitehall that allowed such claims to proceed. One civil servant refused a massage claim but was overruled by senior colleagues. Allegations include excessive flights, unreasonable hotel bookings and charges for an entourage. Costs were shifted into different budgets, making them hard to trace and limiting effective scrutiny. Some sources confirmed employment histories of the whistleblowers, while specific proof of the massage claim remained unverified.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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