Prince Andrew Under Fire: New Biographer Unveils Scandal, Epstein, Trump—and an Astonishing Assassination Plot

For decades, Prince Andrew—once dubbed “Randy Andy,” now better known as the royal family’s greatest liability—has been dogged by scandal, privilege, and relentless questions about his judgment and associations. With the release of royal biographer Andrew Lownie’s new book, The Rise and Fall of the House of York, the embattled prince is back in the headlines—and the revelations are more explosive than ever.

In a bombshell interview on Palace Confidential, Lownie delves into previously untold stories about Prince Andrew’s notorious reputation, the web of intrigue connecting Epstein and Trump, and a genuine assassination plot straight out of a James Bond movie.

The Affair That Rocked the Palace

One of the first shocks from the biographer: evidence points to an affair between Prince Philip, the late Queen’s husband, and Susan Barrantes, Sarah Ferguson’s mother, dating back to the 1960s. “It was well-known in their circles,” Lownie asserts. This connection between the Queen’s consort and Fergie’s mother set the stage for future royal friction and intrigue.

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Andrew’s Tainted Youth: Arrogance, Privilege, and Warning Signs

Drawing from interviews with school contemporaries, Lownie paints a portrait of a boy born to entitlement but devoid of self-awareness. “He was arrogant, entitled, didn’t feel the rules applied to him… An accident waiting to happen,” Lownie notes. Teachers and classmates saw a young man with little self-discipline—or real friends—and prone to bullying and careless actions.

Even at the Royal Navy, special treatment and bending of the rules were commonplace. “He cheated his way through staff college,” Lownie reveals, recounting episodes where Andrew’s assignments were done by subordinates or friends. In his service during the Falklands War, while Andrew faced actual combat danger, Lownie confirms his skills often fell short of his peers—compensated for by extra vetting and technical support.

Fergie: Obsession and the Royal Outlier

Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, looms large in the prince’s story. Their tumultuous relationship—from her wild youth and the controversial “toegate” scandal on the French Riviera, to years of mutual obsession and financial rescue—provides a parallel tale of addiction, abandonment, and also strategic royal management. “Fergie was charismatic but vulgar; she couldn’t be controlled,” Lownie says, suggesting her recurring acceptance in royal circles is due more to her threats to spill secrets than her charm.

Sex, Scandal, and Addiction—Long Before Epstein

Lownie’s interview pulls no punches as he discusses Andrew’s reputation for promiscuity—a “sex addict” with a body count quoted in the thousands. He was a fixture in glamorous circles and developed a taste for risk long before Jeffrey Epstein entered the picture.

Astonishingly, Lownie claims Andrew shared not only an infamous mistress with Epstein (Ghislaine Maxwell) but is also said to have shared a lover with Bill Clinton—a shadowy but telling detail about the social circles the prince moved in. When the conversation turns to his relationship with President Trump, Lownie confirms: “The two things they had in common were women and golf… They were very matey.” Photos, testimonials, and a high frequency of encounters all confirm a close, if now publicly disavowed, relationship.

The Epstein Web: Blackmail, Lies, and an Ordered Girl

Perhaps the most damning revelations are those connecting Andrew to Epstein, with Virginia Giuffre (Roberts) as the linchpin. Lownie confirms accounts that underage girls were “ordered” by Epstein via photo albums discovered in FBI raids—“people basically ordered them up like a takeaway.” He also shares the view that the sexual predator used these encounters to blackmail high-profile friends, calling Andrew and Clinton “Super Bowl trophies.”

Andrew’s notorious Newsnight interview, which attempted to exonerate him from accusations by offering unlikely alibis about pizza parties and a lack of sweat, is roundly demolished. “There are three different people who saw him at Tramp nightclub that night, and his own protection officer says he came back to Buckingham Palace,” Lownie says. “No one remembers the pizza party.”

The palace’s efforts to suppress the Epstein story are detailed, including threats to ABC News if they aired an earlier interview with Giuffre, and attempts to block the BBC’s Panorama investigation. Lownie’s research suggests that not only did Andrew lie about when he first met Epstein (it was the early 1990s, not 1999), but also that his meetings with the disgraced financier continued after Epstein’s conviction.

Fergie’s Epstein Connections: More Than £15,000

Another bombshell: Sarah Ferguson’s links to Epstein are more substantial than she publicly admitted. While sources close to Fergie insist she only took £15,000 as a financial favor, Lownie places her on Epstein’s private jet, the Lolita Express, and in his properties years after she claims contact ended. Anonymous sources even suggest the sum she received from Epstein was closer to £2 million.

Spies, Compromat, and an Island Assassination Plot

If all this weren’t enough, Lownie alleges that Prince Andrew was compromised by multiple governments, including Russia, Libya, China, Kazakhstan, and others. His weakness for “girls and gifts” made him a soft target for spies, with accounts of him being seduced by a Russian spy who secretly bugged his computer and who loaned him large sums.

And then the most astounding tale: during the Falklands War, Argentine intelligence plotted to assassinate Andrew on the private island of Mustique. While never carried out, the plan reflects the very real risks presented by Andrew’s operational role as a naval officer and his subsequent high-profile lifestyle.

Life After the Fall: Insulation and Denial

Despite the scandals, Lownie notes, Andrew’s existence has more in common with a privileged retiree than a disgraced royal. Secluded at Royal Lodge, he still enjoys family, luxury, and even the opportunity to travel by private jet to the Gulf and golf in Portugal. His ex-wife remains close, and his title and honors are mostly intact. “He lives the life of a retired gentleman. He hasn’t actually paid the full price for what he’s done,” Lownie concludes.

The public, however, is not as forgiving. Lownie suggests that neither the palace nor the British people are likely to ever fully rehabilitate Andrew’s image, and his failures are destined to leave a stain on the House of York for a generation.

A Book That Changes the Conversation

Seasoned biographers and royal-watchers have tried to downplay each wave of Andrew’s scandal, but Lownie’s research and willingness to challenge the myths emboldens new conversations, even as palace loyalists push back. “Andrew and Fergie have been protected for far too long, and we need the full story to come out. That’s the role of biographers and journalists—to tell the truth,” Lownie says.

The Rise and Fall of the House of York promises to be a game-changer in the understanding of the modern British monarchy, offering revelations that will reverberate throughout royal circles—and the world—for years to come.