A Queensland engineer, who believes his claim to be a love child of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall negatively influenced his employer's attitude toward him, has lost a court battle to return to work.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Simon Charles Dorante-Day, 53, was suspended with pay in June 2018 by the Public Service Commission following a lengthy investigation into allegations he'd threatened his boss when discussing his leave balance.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected his application to quash the suspension because he failed to show the suspension process was flawed.
The suspension saga began 12 months ago when his boss penned an official complaint about the radio-electrical engineer, who he said had threatened him during a telephone conversation about his leave.
"He then said - threatened - that I was under scrutiny by authorities that were overlooking the royal issue and everything I was doing was being watched and documented and that I needed to be careful on what I did," the manager wrote.
"(Mr Dorante-Day) also said to the effect, that if I wanted to get into a driverless car heading for a cliff, then I would go over the cliff. Or words to that effect.
"I believe I am being subjected to bullying, disrespected and verbally and physically threatened in the workplace by an employee," the manager concluded.
Mr Dorante-Day later applied to the Supreme Court to have the suspension decision reversed.
He alleged the public service had acted unconstitutionally and a lack of evidence denied him natural justice and due process.
Representing himself in April, Mr Dorante-Day told the court his royal paternity issue - and interviews he'd given on the topic - also influenced his suspension from work.
Following one of many interviews with New Idea, Mr Dorante-Day was asked by his employer at the time - the Queensland Police Service - to refrain from mentioning his workplace.
He had told the magazine the service supported his quest to prove his lineage, which has never been acknowledged by the palace.
He said there had been an earlier "workplace issue", in 2015, after he was late because he had "been on the phone to Buckingham Palace" until 4am one morning.
On Tuesday, Justice Debra Mullins told Mr Dorante-Day none of his grounds for review had been established.
On Facebook, Mr Dorante-Day vowed to keep fighting in court.
"So according to Justice (I use that term loosely) Mullins, no one in the state of Queensland should adhere to the legislation because the Queensland Government doesn't have to," he wrote.
"Yes, I'm appealing the point of law."
Mr Dorante-Day also urged the media to investigate the legal issues in his case instead of focusing on his claim to be royalty.
He remains suspended with pay from Public Safety Business Agency.
Australian Associated Press
