BRITAIN: The British royal family hit back at criticism yesterday of the Duke of York's travel costs by calling for details of his spending to be published.
National Audit Office figures reveal that Prince Andrew spent £325,000 (€468,000) of public money hiring aircraft and helicopters in a single year.
The report, which appeared in the Mail on Sunday, says Prince Andrew was reluctant to travel by train because he felt the service was "unreliable".
But a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "The story is an unbalanced version of a letter sent by the National Audit Office to Ian Davidson MP and as this involves public money we believe that the letter should be published."
In June 2003, the Duke spent nearly £3,000 chartering a helicopter for a 50-mile trip to a lunch in Oxford instead of spending £97 on a train ticket, the report says.
"Travel by rail was considered but rejected as an option, based on the additional hour-and-a-half travelling time that would have been involved and the potential unreliability of the train arrival time," it adds.
Another 35-mile trip from London to Johnson and Johnson HQ in High Wycombe last May in the Queen's helicopter cost £681, compared to a £17 standard day return by rail.
Prince Andrew spent £3,600 to use an RAF jet for a 90-mile journey to a military base in Somerset last June. And he spent £32,000 on flying to St Andrew's during his year as club captain.
The inquiry into the prince's spending was led by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn.