London: The young Indian footman who helped announce the birth notice of Prince George on its golden easel is no longer employed at Buckingham Palace, sources have confirmed.
A week after his image flashed around the world as the royal footman who officially announced the birth of Prince George of Cambridge, Badar Azim has left Britain after the expiry of his temporary visa.
The 25-year-old Badar Azim, who grew up in a Kolkata slum, was seen by millions posting the news of Prince William and Kate Middleton's baby boy last week on the official easel at the palace forecourt.
The hospitality management graduate, who landed the job after finishing his studies at Napier University in Edinburgh, was forced to leave the palace at the end of last week. He had been granted a post-study work visa which expired at the end of July, though he was reportedly eager to stay in the UK. He has now left Britain, and is believed to have returned to Kolkata where his family live.
Buckingham Palace did not comment on the matter, while the UK Home Office simply said: "Each application is looked at and judged on its own merits."
He landed a job as junior footman at the palace in February 2012 and just happened to be on duty on the day Britain's newest prince was born.
He was photographed alongside Ailsa Anderson, the Queen's press secretary, on July 22 as he put the royal notice up to break the news of the royal baby to the world.
