THE Duke of York has made a written apology for berating a senior police officer over his uniform during an official visit to the region.

Prince Andrew met Chief Superintendent David Short during a visit to an engineering company in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, earlier this year.

At the time, Chief Supt Short was wearing a black fleece in the style of the national police uniform.

The Duke asked where his jacket was and when Chief Supt Short replied he was under orders to wear the national uniform, the prince said it was "totally unacceptable".

In the wake of the visit, North Yorkshire Chief Constable Della Cannings wrote to Buckingham Palace to remonstrate about the Duke's public remarks.

She had made it clear in the past that she was not prepared to waste public money on ceremonial uniforms.

Yesterday, it emerged that Chief Supt Short - Commandeer of the North Yorkshire force's eastern area - has now received a personal letter of apology from the Duke's private secretary.

The officer yesterday described how the Duke had berated him publicly.

"He asked me why I was wearing a fleece and said it was totally unacceptable dress," he said.

"I told him it was the policy of North Yorkshire to wear fleeces as opposed to formal tunics. He made his remarks in front of various civic dignitaries. I was a bit taken aback."

He said the letter from the Palace made it clear the Duke was not being critical of him, but of the policy of wearing fleeces as opposed to formal tunics.