My anger at Fergie, by royal dog walker sacked for having affair with Prince Andrew’s butler
A DOG walker sacked over her affair with Prince Andrew’s butler yesterday accused the Duchess of York of deserting her.
Amanda Severn said she had been ‘led to believe’ that trusted royal aide Terence Holdforth was single before they began a relationship.
But his wife – royal housekeeper Mandy – later found intimate text messages on his phone and demanded the prince’s former wife, Sarah Ferguson, sack the dog walker.
Miss Severn – who had walked the Duke of York’s five Norfolk terriers for more than five years – said yesterday that she was upset at how badly she had been treated.
‘They have taken their side and she [the duchess] has not shown any loyalty to me,’ she said. ‘I am not happy.’
Miss Severn, 52, said she ended the affair with Mr Holdforth, 58, after an ‘abusive’ phone call from his wife.
The Holdforths have worked for Andrew for more than 20 years and have both been awarded the Royal Victorian Medal ‘for distinguished service to the monarch’.
The also have a grace and favour home on the Royal Lodge estate in Windsor Great Park, where the duke and his ex-wife live.
Speaking at her static caravan home in Chertsey, Surrey, Miss Severn, said: ‘I know what has been said, but they have been separated for ten years.
‘He [Mr Holdforth] led me to believe he was separated from his wife and others did as well.
‘I thought he was separated and that is why we were together. We would not have been if he was still married.’
She added: ‘It’s unfair. I am sitting here without a job and no money and they are still in their nice cottage.
‘I walked away – it’s the Royal Family. I have lost my job but I am not going to fight the Royal Family.’ A royal insider told The Sun: ‘Amanda had been seeing Terry for about a year but they became intimate around six months ago. They’d meet at the local pub after work and he’d go to her place.
‘But when Mandy discovered texts on his phone from Amanda, all hell broke loose.’
After the affair was exposed, Miss Severn had hoped to keep her job, and the Duchess of York reportedly sent her a text message reading: ‘We still want you to love and walk our dogs.’
It is understood Miss Severn was only sacked after Mrs Holdforth, 56, head of housekeeping at the royal home, demanded she go.
The dog walker was dismissed with only two weeks’ severance pay. A source said: ‘Sarah Ferguson still rules the roost at the duke’s home – even though they’re divorced – and still insists on being called “Ma’am” or “Your Royal Highness”.
‘And once Mandy had said, “It’s me or the dog walker,” there was no way Fergie was going to choose the dog walker over her housekeeper who’s been at her side for decades.’
Miss Severn’s job, which paid £1,000 a month, had involved taking the dogs on daily three-hour walks. She was left in tears after another dog walker was employed.
A friend said: ‘She misses the dogs – even though a couple of them were apparently a bit of a handful.’
Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the affair.
The duke, 57, and duchess, 58, divorced in 1996, but remain close and daughters Beatrice, 29, and Eugenie, 27, regularly visit them at Royal Lodge.
‘I am sitting here with no money’