Tory MP’s wife Sasha Swire says Duke of York spoke about ‘how brilliant he was’ at official dinner

Prince Andrew gave an ‘excruciating’ diatribe about ‘how brilliant he was’ at a dinner, according to Lady Swire’s diaries.

She also says he spoke about how desperate he was to ensure that his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have royal roles.

Sasha Swire encountered him at an official dinner in 2011 at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.

During the evening the prince made clear that he and his brother, Prince Charles, were engaged in a ‘power struggle’ within the Royal Family.

She describes the dinner with 20 local businessmen, saying: ‘I have to say, Prince Andrew chairing the round the table discussion is excruciatingly painful to watch.

‘I sat there trying to listen to how brilliant he was when all I am seeing is him in swimming shorts, attending topless pool parties at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion.’

She adds: ‘It is clear there is a power struggle taking place between him and Prince Charles. A lot of Andrew’s embarrassing friendships with oligarchs, and his imploring anyone who will listen to bail out his wife, has strained their relationship.

‘To illustrate this, he tells us about a misunderstanding over a grand piano.’

Andrew’s difficult relationship with his brother and the future king is well documented.

Charles has long campaigned for a slimmed-down monarchy, with Beatrice and Eugenie very much sidelined.

She also describes the behind the scenes action in the Royal Box at The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the Duchess of Cornwall, whom she describes as ‘incredibly friendly’, got on like a house on fire with Mr Cameron.