The Independent Office for Police Conduct has decided against investigating a complaint brought by a former royal protection officer and has instead sent it back to the Metropolitan Police to assess itself, in a move reported this week that effectively clears the force of trying to silence him over claims linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Paul Page, 54, who spent six years working at Buckingham Palace, was informed by letter this week that the watchdog would hand his complaint back to the Met, meaning the force will now examine its own handling of the matter rather than face an independent investigation.
The decision draws a line, at least for now, under a dispute that has been running since the start of the year, when Mr Page began speaking publicly about what he describes as an attempt by the force to stop him talking about the former prince.
Key points
- The police watchdog has handed Paul Page’s complaint back to the Metropolitan Police to assess itself.
- The decision, communicated by letter this week, effectively clears the Met of trying to silence the former royal protection officer.
- Mr Page’s complaint alleged improper communication by the force after he spoke publicly about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
What the complaint concerned
Mr Page lodged a formal complaint last month alleging improper communication with him by the force. It followed months of public statements in which he claimed he had been warned against speaking about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and alleged he had been told to “shut up” by the Met.
It was reported in February that he had received a letter from the force the previous December reminding him of his confidentiality obligations as a former officer.
Importantly, the complaint was about how the force treated him after he spoke out, rather than the substance of his claims about the former prince, which have been widely reported and remain contested.
Why the watchdog stepped back
The IOPC can investigate complaints itself, supervise a force’s own investigation, or return a matter to the force to deal with under its own procedures. By handing Mr Page’s complaint back, the watchdog has effectively decided there is no case for it to pursue against the Met over the alleged attempt to silence him.
In practice, the Met will now assess a complaint about its own conduct. That is the standard route when the watchdog declines to take a matter on, but it leaves the force examining its own actions. Mr Page was informed of the decision in writing this week, according to reports.
Who is Paul Page?
Mr Page, 54, served for six years at Buckingham Palace as a royal protection officer, a role that placed him in close proximity to senior members of the royal family. Since leaving the role he has spoken publicly on a number of occasions about his time in royal protection.
His dispute with the Met dates to the start of this year, when he began making public claims about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The force’s letter about his confidentiality obligations, and his allegation that he was told to “shut up”, became the foundation of the formal complaint he lodged last month.
Complaints and legal disputes involving the force surface regularly. A former Met sergeant was recently awarded more than £10,000 after winning a race discrimination case against the force. Other former officers have ended up before the criminal courts, including one jailed over a “crash for cash” insurance fraud, while dismissed officers have challenged their sackings through appeals.
Explainer: what is the IOPC?
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is the watchdog that oversees the police complaints system in England and Wales. It investigates the most serious and sensitive matters itself, but it can also direct that a complaint be handled by the force concerned. Complainants who are unhappy with how their case is dealt with can normally ask the watchdog to review the handling.
Timeline: how the dispute unfolded
- December: Mr Page receives a letter from the Met reminding him of his confidentiality obligations, as reported in February.
- February 2026: He speaks publicly, claiming he was told to “shut up” by the force over his remarks about the former prince.
- September 2026: He lodges a formal complaint alleging improper communication by the force.
- October 2026: The IOPC writes to Mr Page to say his complaint is being handed back to the Met to assess itself.
What happens next
The Met will now consider Mr Page’s complaint under its own procedures and decide what action, if any, is warranted. Under the normal process, a complainant who is dissatisfied with the outcome can ask the IOPC to review how the complaint was handled.
For Mr Page, the watchdog’s decision means his attempt to secure an independent investigation into the force’s conduct has, for now, come to nothing. Whether he pursues the matter further through the review process remains to be seen.
