The Duke, however, has no income of his own and has to rely on the patronage
of the Queen, who in turn derives her wealth from land and property income
controlled by the Treasury. The Duke also travels with police bodyguards at
all times, whose travel costs are directly funded by the taxpayer.

Critics described the Duke as “totally unaccountable” and expressed
astonishment that he was once again living up to his nickname of “Air Miles
Andy”.

At least one of the Duke’s visits was not listed in the Court Circular, the
official gazette of royal engagements, and only emerged last week when a
list of official gifts to members of the Royal family was published.

The list of 107 gifts received by the Duke included presents given to him in
Bahrain in April, which he was not previously known to have visited.

The Duke started 2014 with an official three-day visit to Bahrain, quickly
followed by his annual trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland.

He was back in Bahrain in April, and clocked up visits to California, Kuwait,
Germany, Canada, Afghanistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, France,
United Arab Emirates, India and Turkey.

In contrast, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh only made one trip abroad
last year – to France for the D-Day commemorations – while the Prince of
Wales and the Earl of Wessex went to nine countries each, the Duke of
Cambridge four, and the Princess Royal seven.

During some of the trips the Duke, a fanatical golfer, had several days
without any official engagements, suggesting he was combining work and
leisure on the same trips. He has been criticised in the past for tagging on
golf breaks to official visits funded by the taxpayer.

Following a visit to Saudi Arabia from November 16 to 20, the Duke carried out
an engagement in the United Arab Emirates with his daughter Princess
Beatrice on November 24, suggesting he had several days off in the Gulf in
between. He is understood to have attended the season-ending Abu Dhabi
Formula 1 Grand Prix on November 23.

From the Middle East he flew to India, carrying out two days of engagements on
November 24 and 25 before landing in Turkey on Nov 29. Again, the missing
days are unexplained and Buckingham Palace declined to comment on any time
spent privately.

Buckingham Palace said that of the 15 countries visited by the Duke, seven
were official visits on behalf of the Government and approved by the Royal
Visits Committee. They were: Bahrain (January), Kuwait, Afghanistan,
Switzerland/France, Saudi Arabia and Germany.

Six others, to Davos, California, Canada, China, India and Turkey, were
“working visits” paid for out of private funds, while a visit to Bahrain in
April and a visit to the UAE were “private” visits.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Duke carries out official overseas
visits like other members of the Royal family as and when requested by HM
Government and as approved by the royal visits committee.

“As is the case with other members of the Royal family, from time to time the
Duke travels overseas on working visits in support of his work for British
prosperity in schools and education; entrepreneurs, and science, technology
and engineering. We do not comment on the private travel of members of the
Royal family.”

The Labour MP Paul Flynn said: “He is accountable to nobody and if he is doing
this using public funds there should be more information about what he is
doing and what successes he is delivering. His role is very ill-defined.

“I’m surprised he doesn’t have enough to do in this country, and let’s not
forget there were very serious criticisms made of Prince Andrew during his
time as trade ambassador, because of the way he was conducting himself.”

Andy Silvester, Campaign Director of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers
are entitled to ask quite why the Grand Old Duke of York has picked up so
many air miles.

“Many wondered whether the Prince was providing value for money before he quit
his envoy role, so it’s surprising that he’s still enjoying so many foreign
jaunts at taxpayers’ expense.

“It’s time for more transparency from the Palace about the nature and need of
these working visits abroad, especially when you consider the associated
costs of his security detail and so on.”

The list of the Duke’s foreign trips does not include private holidays, when
he would also have been accompanied by his police bodyguards.

The Duke has spent much of this month keeping a low profile at Royal Lodge,
his home in Windsor, following allegations that he had sex with a
17-year-old “sex slave”, which he denies.

On Friday he confirmed via his official Facebook page that he would attend the
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, his first public
appearance since the allegations were made at the start of the month.

Official gifts received by the Duke of York during foreign trips in 2014

Bahrain, Jan 14 to 17: Floral display, decorative metal box, Dilman Seal Game
and book about Bahrain (all from HRH Sheik Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa);
trophy, scarf, two Arabic recipe books, two history books

Bahrain, April 14: Sculpture of a building, plaque, both from Bahrain Defence
Force

USA, April 27: Bag from Milken Institute, Santa Monica

Kuwait, May 19-21: Two photo albums and book on the emergence of paper in
Kuwait, both from the Amir of Kuwait; model of a dhow, copy of The Kuwait
Airport Civil Aviation Year Book

Germany, June 3-4: Model of VW Beetle, statue from Mayor of Guttingen, print
from Guttingen University, model from Mayor of Hannover, horse statue,
commemorative coin, globe, rose, six books

China, Oct 24-25: English bone china, stamp book, photo of Duke with Premier
Li Keqiang, vase, empty photo album, scroll and stand

Saudi Arabia, Nov 17-20: Model of a horse, model of Al Muraba Palace, Large
gold-framed photo, green leather box containing carafe, pair of small
statues, perfume, beads, pen, glass plaque, wooden necklace, brown leather
box containing stone house statue, black case containing glass sculpture,
five books

India, Nov 25: silver elephant model, turban, red and gold shawl, two books

Turkey, Nov 29: commemorative metal plate and tie, six books on Turkish
history and culture

Selection of gifts received in the UK:

Box of dates (Tunisian Embassy); ten boxes of mangoes (Prime Minister of
Pakistan); two boxes of mangoes (Asif Ali Zardani, former president of
Pakistan); Chinese fighter plane model (Li Keqiang, Premier of China);
silver model of horse carriage and handmade silk shirt (HRH Sultan
Hamengkubowono X of Indonesia); platter of dates (Saudi Arabian Ambassador)