Among Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s four children, Prince Andrew stands out for a life marked by some truly dramatic ups and downs. His journey has taken him from a revered royal figure to a public figure shrouded in scandal.
A new book, Andrew Lownie’s ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,’ set for release in 2025, casts a harsh light on him. The BBC once called it “a relentlessly unflattering portrait.” It paints him as someone arrogant, self-centered, and unwilling to face the facts about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. While this news probably stung the royal family, there is no denying Andrew has made some questionable choices over the years.
These choices include keeping a long friendship with Epstein. This friendship continued even after Epstein was convicted in 2008 on sex trafficking charges. Andrew also faced allegations of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre when she was underage. Prince Andrew has always denied these claims. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025. The two reached a private settlement in a 2021 civil lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. Andrew maintains his innocence regarding the accusations.
His Place in the Royal Family
Prince Andrew joined the royal family on February 19, 1960. He was the first child born to a reigning monarch in over 100 years. His upbringing seemed typical for someone in a royal line. He later attended Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland. His older brother, King Charles, and his father, Prince Philip, also went there.
His Military Service
Andrew is a decorated military veteran. He served in the British army for over 20 years. As a child, he wanted to be a helicopter pilot. He achieved this dream when he received his pilot wings in 1981.
Unlike many royals, Andrew saw combat during his service. He flew several missions during Argentina’s invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982. He eventually left the military in July 2001.
His Marriage to Sarah Ferguson
Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, tied the knot in July 1986. Their friendship dated back to childhood. The royal wedding was a big event. The couple quickly welcomed their daughters, Beatrice in 1988 and Eugenie in 1990.
The couple announced their separation in 1992, finalizing their divorce in 1996. At the time, it was widely reported that Ferguson wanted a career outside the royal family. She later told Harper’s Bazaar, “I didn’t want a divorce, but I had to for circumstances. I wanted to work; it’s not right for a princess of the royal family to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to formalize the divorce so I could go off and work.”
Reports later suggested that infidelity also played a role in their decision to separate. A Daily Mail report, based on Lownie’s book, claimed Andrew sometimes slept with “more than 10 [women] a day.”
His Connection to Jeffrey Epstein
Andrew’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges and later died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial, became public in 2010. This happened when photos of the two in New York surfaced. Epstein had served just under 13 months in jail after pleading guilty in 2008 to state charges of promoting prostitution and promoting prostitution of a minor.
Royal watchers and the media kept pressing questions about their relationship. In 2011, several reports noted that Andrew often spent time at two of Epstein’s homes. These same reports also claimed that Sarah Ferguson received a $24,500 loan from Epstein. Due to this friendship and the intense public scrutiny, Andrew was forced to step down as a trade envoy in 2011.
Sexual Assault Claims
Years later, the late Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of forcing her to have sexual relations with him when she was underage. She stated these events took place on Epstein’s private Caribbean island, as well as in New York and London.
Initially, Buckingham Palace called the claims “categorically false.” However, Giuffre’s accusations ignited a storm of public attention and scrutiny. Andrew has yet to recover from it. In 2019, he gave a BBC interview about his long friendship with Epstein and Giuffre’s allegations. During the interview, he said he had “no recollection” of a widely circulated photo showing him with the then-teenager.
His Changing Royal Duties
The BBC interview did not help Andrew’s standing. Soon after, he announced his decision to step back from royal duties. He released a statement explaining his choice. “In recent days, it has become clear to me that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work being done by the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support,” he stated. “Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty for permission to step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has granted my request.”
The Virginia Giuffre Lawsuit
Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in August 2021, alleging sexual abuse. She made a powerful statement at the time. “Today my attorney filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew for sexual abuse under the Child Victims Act. As the complaint describes in detail, I was trafficked to him and sexually abused by him,” she declared.
She continued, “I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and wealthy are not excused from being held accountable for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking up and demanding justice.” Andrew’s lawyers, Andrew B. Brettler and Melissa Y. Lerner, issued a statement. They wrote, “Prince Andrew denies conspiring with Epstein or that Epstein trafficked girls to him.”
His Royal Honors
Queen Elizabeth took away Andrew’s royal honors, military titles, and patronages in January 2022. This decision came as a direct result of the accusations against him. Buckingham Palace announced, “With the Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen.” The palace added, “The Duke of York will continue to not undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
The Court Settlement
Andrew finally reached a settlement with Giuffre in February 2022. The amount was not publicly confirmed, but reports suggest it was over $16 million. A joint statement from their lawyers was released. It said, “Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.”
The statement continued, “Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an abused victim and by unfair public attacks.” It concluded by stating, “Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends Ms. Giuffre’s bravery and other survivors for standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking and by supporting its victims.”
_If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888._