Former Royal Butler Grant Harrold speaks out on ‘Prince’ Andrew — and he doesn’t hold back
From Andrew’s entitlement to his arrest, a former butler shares what life inside the royal household was actually like.
It’s always insightful to hear from people who actually worked inside royal walls. Instead of relying on commentators or biographers who gather information from other sources, it’s refreshing to hear from the staff who were directly involved and witnessed things firsthand. Recently, former royal butler Grant Harrold shared his thoughts during an interview with LADbible’s Honesty Box series, where he talked about former Prince Andrew. His responses were careful, but they revealed quite a bit.
How is Andrew, according to royal staff
Grant Harrold served as a butler to the Royal Family for several years, most notably under King Charles III, when he was still Prince of Wales. He has since become a recognizable face in the media, regularly speaking about royal life and etiquette from his experience. Recently, he participated in LADbible’s “Honesty Box” series, in which he was asked for his honest opinion of Andrew.
Harrold was upfront that his direct run-ins with Andrew were few, but the ones he had left a lasting impression. He described Andrew as technically polite, a thank you here and there, but added that there was something else about him. “You got the feeling he thought he was better than everyone, just his mannerisms and the way he was,” he said. He further explained he didn’t get that vibe from anyone else in the royal family, including the Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, or Princess Anne. “I just didn’t want to be in his presence,” Harrold admitted, which is not a small thing to say about someone you worked for.
Harrold made it clear that the colleagues who worked for the royal family also had negative things to say about Andrew. “I always see the good in everyone, so it’s quite sad,” he said. When asked about Andrew’s relationship with King Charles, Harrold said he never really saw much warmth or closeness between them, especially compared to how Charles interacted with Princess Anne. “I wouldn’t have said they were particularly close,” he said, explaining that their interactions mostly happened during family gatherings.
Regarding Andrew’s arrest, Harrold said it surprised him, just like it did for most people, calling it something unprecedented in modern royal history. But he did not think the palace was blindsided. “I honestly generally believe that the household, they’ve got their contacts, they work with the government, they work with the police… So they’re going to be aware, 100% of what’s coming.”
Reactions
The interview sparked a lot of discussion online about the royal family. One person wrote: “I’m so glad to hear good things about Charles and Anne. Anne is a workhorse. She is the definition of a working royal.”
Some viewers appreciated how Harrold responded to questions. One person noted, “I’d say this was a good and balanced answer.” Harrold spoke from his own experience, acknowledged the limits of what he could directly observe, and presented his views without exaggeration, which is commendable.
Another person talked about the sense of entitlement associated with the royal title, stating, “They call themselves ‘royals’. Are you really surprised by the entitlement?” A follow-up remark added, “The problem is the Royals are better than us. That’s what we’ve decided. They are a magical family by birth. We do have a choice, though.” It’s important to remember that supporting the monarchy is a choice, especially when we talk about holding them accountable for their actions.
Many were pleased to see King Charles taking action on Prince Andrew’s recent troubles. People believe that being in a high position shouldn’t protect anyone from facing the consequences of their actions. One person wrote, “I’m glad the King stripped his titles and didn’t let him hide behind his royal status anymore. Left him to be accountable for his actions.”
Why this matters
Domestic staff, personal assistants, and household workers play important roles behind the scenes in the lives of the powerful families, and they see things that no biographers and journalists ever will. These workers are present during unguarded moments, observing behavior over long periods, yet rarely does anyone ask them about what they’ve experienced. When higher-ranking families think no one is important, they tend to let their guard down, which means the people serving them often have the most accurate understanding of who they truly are.
Across fields such as politics, entertainment, finance, and even the monarchy, countless people have valuable stories to share, yet their voices often go unnoticed. This happens partly because of their roles, which are considered less important, and partly because the powerful people they serve have more resources to influence how they are perceived by the public. However, that needs to change. The people who keep these influential households running have spent years watching closely, and the conversations that come from truly listening to them tend to be far more honest than anything from official channels.
