Royal footman returns to India

The 25-year-old royal footman who helped announce the birth of Prince George of Cambridge has returned home to India.

Badar Azim joined the Queen’s press secretary at Buckingham Palace’s front court on July 22 to post the traditional bulletin announcing the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s son, who is third in line to the throne.

Mr Azim returned to his home in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday after his work visa expired.

He told India’s New Delhi Television that announcing the Prince’s birth was an “amazing” experience, and that one day he would love to return to work at the Palace.

Mr Azim said he did not seek a visa extension and wanted to spend time with his family after being away for four years.

“If I have a new visa, then why not,” he said of possibly returning to work at the Palace. “It would be a privilege to work with the royal household.”

Mr Azim’s parents, who like millions of people were glued to their television ahead of the royal birth, said they were extremely proud of their son. A day after the Prince was born, many newspapers carried photographs of Mr Azim walking at Buckingham Palace with the press secretary, Alisa Anderson, carrying the birth announcement.

For now, Mr Azim is back in the one-room flat he shares with his parents and brothers, returning in time to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid, NDTV reported.

His father, an iron welder, struggled to put Mr Azim and his siblings through school.

Mr Azim was educated in Catholic schools in Kolkata before studying hotel management in college. A part of his training took him to Scotland.

After graduating, he applied for jobs and got several offers from hotels in Britain. He started working at Buckingham Palace in 2012, NDTV said.