Camilla cousin in court over £81,000 fraud

THE Duchess of Cornwall’s cousin is facing charges of housing benefit fraud, falsely claiming to be a disabled child’s carer and pocketing charity donations.

Aristocrat Dru Edmonstone is accused of fraudulently obtaining more than £81,000, as well as claiming benefits using the alias ‘Tyler Durden’ – a character played by Hollywood star Brad Pitt in the movie Fight Club.

Edmonstone, 46, is also accused of taking cash from walkers at a cafe he set up in a caravan on the scenic West Highland Way footpath while posing as a doctor, a ranger, and a mountain rescuer, and claiming to be selling refreshments for their respective charities. He also insisted payment was required to use the footpath.

Edmonstone’s family have owned the historic Duntreath Castle Estate near Blanefield since they were gifted it by the Scottish King Robert III in 1435. His father, Sir Archibald Edmonstone, 83, the 7th baronet of Duntreath, inherited the castle at the age of 22 and it has become a popular venue for weddings, private parties and corporate events.

Sir Archibald’s grandmother, Alice Keppel, was Edward VII’s mistress and greatgrandmother of Prince Charles’s second wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

It is alleged that Edmonstone made false claims for handouts including income support, tax credit, carers’ allowance and disability living allowance. He is accused of posing as his sister, his wife, and his own carer, and pretending he was looking after a 12-year-old disabled child, who was neither living with him nor disabled.

At a hearing at Stirling Sheriff Court yesterday, Edmonstone, of Ardoch House, Blanefield, denied all charges.