Welcome to Wrexham star Ollie Palmer, 31, reveals his ex-royal protection officer came out as gay after leaving his wife and three children

Footballer Ollie Palmer has revealed in Disney+ documentary Welcome To Wrexham that his ex-royal protection officer came out as gay after leaving his mother.

The 31-year-old Wrexham striker explained how his parents split when he was a child, with his father Andy telling the family months later that he was gay.

Andy worked as a protection officer for the Royal Family for 25 years and was King Charles III’s personal protection officer for ten years when he was Prince of Wales.

The two were reunited last December when Charles and Queen Camilla visited the club’s Racecourse Ground and met owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Now Palmer has joined his mother Sue and Andy to talk about his childhood and family life in a new episode of the programme, which is now in its second series.

King Charles III (left) speaks to his former protection officer Andy Palmer (second right) during a visit to Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground with Queen Camilla on December 9 last year

Charles and Andy Palmer shake hands during the King’s visit to Wrexham in December 2022

His mother Sue told how she was ‘very happily married’ to Andy, adding that when they unexpectedly split she thought he was leaving her for another woman.

Sue said: ‘I thought we had a great marriage. We had three wonderful children and I had a lot of confidence in the future. But then Andy left. I was devastated. It blew my world apart.”

Andy added: “It’s been a long time coming. It wasn’t an overnight decision. It took months to decide which route I would take.’

He continued: “It was a very difficult time for me personally. How am I supposed to tell my three children, whom I love dearly, that Dad will no longer be here?’

Palmer described it as a “really hard day” when his father moved, adding that he remembered “mom and dad arguing.”

He continued, “That’s what I really remember. I was just sitting in the den and heard them all arguing in the dining room. And then we all cried.”

But Palmer revealed that after introducing Andy and Andy’s boyfriend to McElhenney, he learned that the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor’s parents also split when he was a child – and that his mother married another woman .

McElhenney said: “I’m in the same position as Ollie. My parents divorced when I was eight or nine.

“And as adults, we can both look back on our parents and realize how much courage it took for them to do exactly what they did.”

Wrexham’s Ollie Palmer after a match against Notts County at Meadow Lane on October 28

On December 9 last year, Charles and Andy were reunited during a royal visit to Wrexham, where the King and Queen met Reynolds, McElhenney and players to learn about the club’s redevelopment.

Speaking about the meeting, Palmer told The Times in January: ‘My father worked as a safeguarding officer for the Royal Family for 25 years.

‘He was Prince Charles’ personal protection officer, as he was then known, for 10 years. He retired a few years ago, but he’s still in touch with Buckingham Palace, going to events at Balmoral and stuff, so he managed to blow off an invite.

‘I met the king on the field with the players. We talked about how well we’re doing in the competition, Mulls and I [Paul Mullin] like a [strike] partnership. Then I made him aware that I was Andy Palmer’s son. He said my father had told many stories about me on car trips over the years.

‘Then we went to a room in the stadium and it was amazing to see King Charles’ reaction when he saw my father. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.’

Palmer added that his father simply told people he worked ‘for the Metropolitan Police’, and never really talked about what he actually did.

Wrexham broke their transfer record in January last year by signing Palmer from AFC Wimbledon for £300,000.

Palmer with Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds after the team defeated Notts County in April

Ollie Palmer moved to the Football League with Mansfield Town in August 2013

That record has stood since 1978 when Wrexham bought Joey Jones from Liverpool for £210,000.

Palmer started his career in non-league football in 2010, playing for Woking, St Albans City, Boreham Wood and Havant and Waterlooville.

The 6ft tall player advanced to the Football League with Mansfield Town in 2013 and has also played for Grimsby Town, Leyton Orient, Luton Town, Lincoln City and Crawley Town before joining Wimbledon in August 2020.

Palmer then moved to Wrexham in January 2022 on a three-and-a-half-year contract and has since scored 37 goals in more than 90 games.