Man in A-League jersey arrested after heckling Prince Andrew in Edinburgh

Scuffle as man in A-League jumper heckles royals 10 News First – Disclaimer

Police in Edinburgh have arrested a man wearing a Melbourne FC jersey after he heckled Prince Andrew as he walked behind the Queen’s coffin early Tuesday morning (AEST).

Witnesses said the man was was shouting: “Andrew, you’re a sick old man” as the Duke of York walked with his brothers King Charles and Prince Edward and sister Princess Anne behind their mother’s coffin on the way to St Giles’ Cathedral.

The crowd who had gathered to watch the procession in Edinburgh chanted “God save the King” to drown out the heckling, Reuters reported.

The heckler was eventually wrestled to the ground by other spectators and led away by a police officer.Police later confirmed a 22-year-old man had been arrested for breaching the peace.The Queen’s four children later performed the traditional Vigil of the Princes, standing in silence and forming a circle around the coffin, at St Giles’ Cathedral. The King bowed his head and closed his eyes while standing around the coffin with his siblings.

The Princess Royal’s involvement made her the first woman to be part of the vigil which, the BBC reported, had previously only been carried out by male members of the royal family.

King Charles III and his siblings hold vigil at St Giles’ Cathedral. Photo: Getty

The Queen’s coffin will remain at the cathedral until later Tuesday to allow members of the public to pay their respect.

She will be flown to London on Tuesday night Australian time before being taken to Buckingham Palace.

On Wednesday, the Queen will be carried to Westminster Hall, where her coffin will lie in state for four days.

Prince Andrew’s reputation and standing has suffered severe damage in recent years over his ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In February, Andrew paid about £12 million ($21 million) to settle a civil sexual abuse claim with Australian-based Virginia Roberts Giuffre, after months of legal wrangling. He has always denied any wrongdoing.

In January, amid the fallout from the case, he was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages and the Queen announced he would no longer be known as “His Royal Highness”.

Andrew is long said to be the 96-year-old Queen’s favourite child, and he visited her several times a week at Windsor Castle. Despite that, palace aides were well aware of strong public feelings about his links with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and recent sexual abuse allegations.