A police officer in London charged with protecting the royal family is being accused of texting a teen who was visiting Buckingham Palace with her mother for an event hosted by Queen Elizabeth.
The Vancouver Sun says that Royal Protection Officer Andrew Daly is not contesting that he sent a sexually suggestive message to a teen outside a Buckingham Palace garden party hosted by the queen. Daly is said to have asked the 16-year-old girl for her number and then sending her texts that were deemed “inappropriate.”
Daly is not denying that in 2016 while protecting the royal family at an event, his behavior was unprofessional, but he did not attend a police misconduct hearing today to review the evidence. The girl has not been identified as she was a minor at the time of the alleged incident, but she testified today in a closed meeting.
“She told the police hearing that she was visiting the palace neighborhood with her mother and sister when an armed officer asked for her number.”
At the hearing, the girl claimed she was “disgusted” when after the event he continued to send her texts asking if she was a virgin.
‘DISGUSTED’: Officer assigned to protect royal family accused of texting teen https://t.co/KSu4oFMuv0 pic.twitter.com/tsuyPUZt53
— The Province (@theprovince) December 4, 2018
The Evening Standard reports that Royalty and Specialist Protection Police Constable Andrew Daly, who is married, admits he sent “lewd” messages to the teen girl after asking her for her number at a Buckingham Palace garden party.
The teen told a panel at the hearing today that despite the fact that she was 16 at the time, Daly informed her that she was not underage. When asked why she gave the officer her phone number, she replied that she didn’t think to “ask a policeman with a gun.”
The woman, who is now over 18, says she was appalled by Daly’s behavior.
“I was disgusted, I felt quite violated. He was someone I am supposed to trust.”
Daly has acknowledged that he breached professional standards and acted improperly while on duty.
Charles Apthorp, a representative for the MET, spoke emphatically about the matter.
“A police officer should not be seeking to initiate sexual relations in this manner.”
This is not the first time that a guard charged with royal protection has acted improperly. Per the Inquisitr, Prince Harry’s former bodyguard dished on many of the prince’s lady friends back when he was single. The bodyguard also shared the prince’s love of blondes, saying he was asked to buy one non-blonde a wig, and also his food likes and dislikes.