Prince Andrew has defended spending £16,000 of taxpayer’s money on private flights so that he could watch golf by explaining that the Lolita Express, his preferred method of travel, was grounded at the time.

Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire paedophile, typically allowed his friend Prince Andrew free use of his private jet, the Lolita Express.

However, the private jet was grounded after Epstein’s arrest, meaning that Prince Andrew had to find other methods of transportation.

‘When my dear Jeffrey was arrested and subsequently committed suicide, I didn’t just lose a friend, I also lost a free mode of transportation. That’s why I had to spend £16,000 on a private flight to go and watch the golf.

‘Do you expect me to just watch golf on the TV like some sort of common pleb? I think not,’ he explained.

The trip to watch golf certainly wasn’t the first time that Prince Andrew has splashed out on a private flight.