<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>British public servants who worked with </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrest-photo-of-ex-prince-leaving-uk-police-station-hung-in-louvre/e10fdc79-6ce8-4e68-b84e-36a813a0e7ab" rel="" target="_blank" title="Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor "><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor</span></a><span> when he was a government trade envoy are now claiming the former prince billed taxpayers for massages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was appointed to the globe-trotting position in 2001, a post he held for 10 years while drumming up business and investment for the UK.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mountbatten-Windsor racked up sky-high expenses while performing the role, a former trade department official told the </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdr232j8kgvo" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><span>BBC</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-pm-anthony-albanese-throws-support-behind-push-to-remove-former-prince-from-line-of-succession/8efe37b6-5ff5-48ba-aa48-fe1834cc89cd"><strong><span>Albanese backs push to deliver final Andrew humiliation</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I thought it was wrong … I'd said we mustn't pay it, but we ended up paying it anyway," the now-retired public servant told the public broadcaster.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking anonymously, he claimed he rejected the bill for "massage services" but was overruled by his superiors.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I can't say it would have stopped him, but we should have flagged that something was wrong."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-billed-uk-taxpayers-for-massage-services/913ec801-3f1b-4750-876e-4aa8e997a6fe" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The claims have been supported by another source who worked as a senior public servant in the UK government.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said Mountbatten-Windsor's extravagant spending included unreasonable numbers of hotel rooms to house his entourage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/peter-mandelson-arrested-uk-police-arrest-former-ambassador-to-us-in-probe-into-jeffrey-epstein-ties/dc454717-b369-4183-a7e4-6cd2bbcba1cc" rel="" target="_blank" title="Police in Britain arrest Peter Mandelson, a former ambassador, in probe into Epstein ties"><strong><span>Police in Britain arrest Peter Mandelson, a former ambassador, in probe into Epstein ties</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I couldn't believe it … it was like it wasn't real money, they weren't spending any of their own money," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The upper echelon of the public service either simply gave the former prince's spending claims a "rubber stamp" instead of scrutinising them, he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>UK police arrested Mountbatten-Windsor last Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office before being released without charge as the investigation continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has been accused of sharing confidential trade documents with convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Emails released by the US Department of Justice as part of the Epstein files appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor forwarding reports of official trade visits with Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first 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