Prince Andrew is accused of criminal damage after a park worker told tabloid paper, The Sun, that the Prince, who "has a bit of reputation for roaring around like Toad of Toad Hall," rammed the electric gates at Windsor Great Park in London with his Range Rover.
@theskink @RepublicStaff It's been a while since we've had a #Gategate
— Brian O'Keefe (@rider45) 17 March 2016
"For some reason the sensors didn't work. Instead of going a mile out of his way, he just decided to ram it open," the park keeper said.
"It was a crazy thing to do and we are jokingly calling it 'ParkGate'. But seriously, he has a bit of a reputation for roaring around like Toad of Toad Hall and seems to think he can do what he likes."
The park worker explained that the gates are used to stop deer roaming and open via a sensor. But on that particular night, the sensors didn't work preventing Prince Andrew from using it as a short cut to the Royal Lodge, the Queen Mother's former home which was handed to him by the Queen in 2003.
Regardless of the criminality, it shows Andrew to be petulant and irresponsible. If a govt minister did this they'd be out of a job.
— Republic (@RepublicStaff) March 17, 2016
So instead, the Duke of York allegedly rammed them with his US$115,000 Range Rover.
Graham Smith, head of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, reported the Prince to the police after the story broke in the newspaper.
"I cannot believe an ordinary member of the public would not be prosecuted for deliberately damaging these gates with their car," Smith said.
"This is a matter of principle: will the royals be treated the same as the rest of us or is there a different law for them?" he asks.
The Crown Estate has questions to answer about why they didn't report the incident themselves.
— Republic (@RepublicStaff) March 17, 2016
However, Thames Valley Police say Graham Smith's report lacked details and have refused to investigate.
"An alleged criminal damage was reported this morning. But the caller had not details of the alleged incident other than it was in Windsor on Sunday. The called was advised that a person involved in the alleged incident or someone acting on their behalf would need to report this. Police are not normally contacted for damage-only road traffic conditions and we can't see anything on the log about this," a spokeswoman said.
The gate allegedly rammed by the Duke of York is now neither half way open — nor half way shut, but being repaired.
Is it really likely that if anyone else caused this kind of damage they wouldn't be prosecuted? Or at least investigated?
— Republic (@RepublicStaff) March 17, 2016
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment.
