Indian footman forced to return home following '15 seconds of fame' post Royal Baby birth

Image
ANI London
Last Updated : Jul 31 2013 | 12:55 PM IST

The Royal Indian footman, who was given the job of helping to announce the birth of the new heir to the throne, has been reportedly forced out of Britain back to India just days after birth of the baby as the Home Office refused to renew his visa.

According to the Mirror, footman Badar Azim, 25, was denied his visa renewal eight days after he was cheered by thousands well-wishers as he posted the royal birth announcement and images of him in his dashing red and black uniform were flashed around the world and forced to quit his dream role and return to the slums of Calcutta.

Azim who earned sponsorship scheme run by St Mary's Orphanage in Calcutta, studied at the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and was employed at the Buckingham Palace after graduating from Edinburgh's Napier University.

A royal source said that when Azim was given the important job of announcing the royal birth at Buckingham Palace he knew it would be one of the last things he did as a footman for the royal family as his work visa was going to expire.

Forced to leave the royal 15,000 pound-a-year plus bed and board at Buckingham Palace in February 2012, Azim would now return to the Calcutta slums where he will live with his parents two brothers and five other relatives in a two-room house.

The report added that after failing to get his visa renewed, Azim is expected to use his unique experiences to land a top job at a leading hotel in India.

Meanwhile, the Buckingham Palace and the Home Office declined to comment on the matter.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jul 31 2013 | 12:45 PM IST

Next Story