Denise Welch claims Prince Andrew made 'disrespectful' comments about Princess Diana
Denise Welch has furiously condemned Prince Andrew after claiming he made disrespectful comments about Princess Diana at a charity dinner shortly after she died.
The Loose Women presenter launched a furious tirade against the Duke of York as the ITV panel show discussed the royal's friendship with American businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in prison last month while serving time as a sex offender.
Welch, 61, claimed she had argued with Prince Andre several years ago at a charity event after being offended by remarks he made about Princess Diana.
The former Coronation Street star recalled: "I had a dinner with Prince Andrew, not just me and Prince Andrew, with about 20 people, many years ago when I was the vice president for a wonderful charity called the Western Spirit.
"I was sat opposite this cricketer and my ex-husband and Prince Andrew was to the side.
"And myself and this cricketer, I won't name names, made a decision not to mention Princess Diana because she had only recently died, I never met Diana but loved her so much and was mortified when she died like many people.
"Anyway, Prince Andrew was very keen to talk about her and he brought it up and he started to say things that really, really upset me, and things that to me, were very disrespectful about somebody that he shouldn't have been sharing this information with.
She added: "I absolutely did tell him how I felt. I was very, very cross."
Welch, a recovering alcoholic went on to claim the Duke of York had the made an offensive remark directed at her, to her then husband Tim Healy.
She said: "Back in the day I liked a vodka or two. All I can say is he got up to leave, walked round to the top end of the table, put his hand round my then husband's shoulder and said, 'Rather you than me sir'."
There was an audible gasp from the Loose Women audience.
A statement from Prince Andrew was read out on the show, saying: "I can only reiterate my regret that I was mistaken to think that what I thought I knew of him was evidently not the real person given what we now know."
Welch remarked: "No. What you knew of him was that he was a convicted child abuser, so it is not a mistake. You made a conscious decision to remain friends."
She then tossed the cue card with his statement behind her, declaring: "So I don't care what he says."
A representative for the Duke Of York declined to comment.
