Lorraine Kelly said she had ‘the misfortune’ of meeting Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Image: GETTY)
Lorraine Kelly has used three harsh words to describe Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following several exchanges with him. Reflecting on the notable figures she has encountered throughout her illustrious career, the 66-year-old pulled no punches when she branded the former prince “horrible, ghastly and arrogant”.
She said: “I always give people the benefit of the doubt, you know, if they’re difficult or demanding or they’re rude, and I think, hmm, okay, you might be an a***hole, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt now.
“If they do it again the next time, then you’re an a***hole and I never want to see you again and go away.
“But, I always think you’ve got to put yourself in other people’s shoes, but I do get annoyed with people who are very arrogant,” she added.
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The former prince has been branded ‘horrible, ghastly and arrogant’ (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“A prime example of that obviously is Prince Andrew, who I had the misfortune to meet a few times, what a ghastly man, a horrible man. And I’ve always said that, even before all of this stuff (his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein),” she added.
“But then you wonder what was going on in his life and who was his role model? It’s fascinating isn’t it, to think about that,” she continued on Pete Wicks’ Man Made podcast.”
The former prince has faced considerable scrutiny in recent years over his connections to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
During his 2019 Newsnight interview, he expressed regret at having maintained contact following Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex offences, but denied allegations against him.
He stepped back from royal duties after the interview aired and, three years later, was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages.
Lorraine Kelly didn’t hold back on her thoughts (Image: YOUTUBE/PETEWICKSMANMADE)
The father-of-two, who was also recently named in documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice relating to Epstein, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He was arrested and subsequently released under investigation on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
This is not the first time Lorraine has voiced criticism of the brother of King Charles.
Having previously addressed his 2019 interview with Emily Maitlis, she remarked on her programme: “That, to me, just summed him up in a way as being either, you could be generous and say naïve or you could say dumb, you could say many things.
“For him to put himself in that position, first of all, and then to do such damage to his reputation that he basically is now persona non grata, that just doesn’t happen usually, does it?”
In a subsequent discussion regarding his apparent return to royal life, she questioned: “Surely he’s not that tone deaf?”, before urging him to “just shut it and go away”.
More recently, the former prince has moved to Marsh Farm after leaving the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor.
According to Elliot Castle, CEO of We Buy Any Home, the expense of refurbishing the property could have reached a six-figure sum.
He said: “From a property perspective, this looks far more like a managed family arrangement than a typical move. “Marsh Farm appears to have been prepared specifically for Andrew, with privacy and security front of mind, so it’s unlikely to be a short-term stop.
“Renovating a rural property to that standard is not cheap,” he added. “Once you factor in interiors, structural updates and high-end security, costs can quickly run into the six-figure range, particularly on an estate setting.”