Meet Andrew: In the Shadow of Epstein, How King Charles III’s Brother Lost Status, Income and a £30 Million Home

There was a time when Prince Andrew was sold to the public as the daring royal: the Queen’s son who flew helicopters in war zones, cut ribbons abroad, and carried the Crown’s confidence with an almost

reckless ease. Today, his name evokes something entirely different. Stripped of titles, eased out of royal homes, and forever tethered to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Andrew’s story has become one of the most dramatic reversals in modern British royal history. Born into unimaginable privilege and once second only to the heir in royal visibility, Andrew’s fall has been slow, public and deeply uncomfortable for the monarchy. It is a tale that winds through palatial homes, questionable friendships, unexplained finances and a single television interview that changed everything. This is the full picture of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — not the prince he once was, but the man he has become.

Who Is Prince Andrew? From “Air Miles Andy” to Royal Outcast

Prince Andrew was born on 19 February 1960, the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As the younger brother of King Charles III, Andrew grew up at the heart of the monarchy, benefiting from both affection and access. In his early adult years, Andrew cultivated a reputation for charm and bravado. His service as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot during the Falklands War in 1982 earned genuine praise, and for a while he was viewed as the monarchy’s action man. Later, as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade, he travelled widely, earning the nickname “Air Miles Andy” for his globe-trotting diplomacy.

But behind the glossy exterior were warning signs — controversial friendships, blurred lines between business and royalty, and a personal life that often attracted tabloid attention. By the late 2010s, those cracks had widened into something the Palace could no longer ignore.

Prince Andrew And The Epstein Association That Changed Everything

Andrew’s downfall is inseparable from his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Despite Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor, Andrew continued to socialise with him — a decision that would later prove catastrophic. Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, alleged that Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was 17. Andrew has consistently denied the claims, but in 2022 he agreed to a multi-million-pound out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre. The agreement ended the civil case but not the reputational damage. The BBC’s 2019 Newsnight interview, intended as damage control, only deepened public anger. Andrew’s failure to express empathy for Epstein’s victims, coupled with implausible explanations, turned the broadcast into a public relations disaster. Within days, he stepped back from royal duties. By 2022, he had lost his HRH style and military affiliations.

No Longer a Duke: Life as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

By late 2025, Andrew had surrendered his remaining royal titles and ceased using “Duke of York.” Buckingham Palace confirmed he would now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — a symbolic but striking demotion for a man born a prince. The Palace’s language was unusually blunt, emphasising sympathy for victims of abuse while noting that Andrew continued to deny wrongdoing. For the monarchy, the message was clear: institutional survival outweighed family loyalty.

Royal Lodge: The £30 Million Mansion at the Centre of a Power Struggle

Few royal homes are as steeped in quiet intrigue as Royal Lodge, Andrew’s Windsor residence since 2003. Set within Windsor Great Park, the 30-room Georgian mansion has housed monarchs, the Queen Mother, and generations of royal history. Andrew acquired a 75-year lease for around £1 million — a figure that raised eyebrows even then — and invested a reported £7.5 million in renovations. Under the terms, rent was set at a symbolic peppercorn a year, a nod to old royal custom. The estate includes six cottages, a swimming pool, staff accommodation and police lodgings. It also sits within walking distance of Windsor Castle and Frogmore Cottage. Yet by 2025, King Charles III reportedly served notice for Andrew to vacate the property, citing both cost and controversy.

Perhaps the most charming feature of Royal Lodge is Y Bwthyn Bach, a miniature Welsh cottage gifted to Princess Elizabeth in childhood. Complete with working electricity and tiny crockery, it remains a poignant reminder of a gentler royal past.

Other Homes Andrew Has Owned — And Sold

Andrew’s property history reads like a catalogue of privilege slowly liquidated. He once lived at Sunninghill Park in Berkshire, a mansion sold in 2007 for £15 million to Kazakh businessman Timur Kulibayev — a sale that later attracted scrutiny. In 2014, Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson bought a luxury chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, for roughly £13 million. The property was sold in 2022, reportedly to help fund legal expenses arising from the Giuffre settlement.

Cars, Plates and the Quiet Shedding of Royal Status

Andrew has long favoured high-end vehicles, particularly Range Rovers and Bentleys. A Bentley Flying Spur worth around £220,000 was once a familiar sight. In 2025, observers noted a subtle but telling change: Andrew was seen driving with standard number plates, having removed personalised “DOY” registrations linked to his former title. It was a small detail, but one that signalled a deliberate step away from royal symbolism.

Net Worth: How Rich Is Andrew in 2025?

Andrew’s finances have long been opaque. Estimates place his personal net worth between £3.7 million and £5 million. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2019, he has not received funding from the Sovereign Grant. His known income sources include a Royal Navy pension of around £20,000 a year, personal investments, and possible inheritance linked to the Queen Mother. In 2024, The Times reported that he had raised funds from “legitimate sources” to cover Royal Lodge expenses, an arrangement approved by Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse. The most significant financial blow remains the 2022 settlement with Virginia Giuffre, widely believed to have run into several millions.

A Reputation Long in the Making

Long before Epstein, Andrew’s image was complicated. Dubbed “Randy Andy” in the 1980s, his private life attracted constant attention. His relationship with actress and photographer Koo Stark tested Palace patience, while his business connections during his time as trade envoy raised repeated questions. Author Andrew Lownie, who co-wrote a biography of Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, has suggested that some of Andrew’s wealth may stem from relationships formed through controversial networks — claims that continue to hover, unanswered, around his finances.

The Prince Who Became a Problem

Andrew’s story is not merely about scandal; it is about how modern monarchy responds to it. Once shielded by rank and ritual, he now lives on the margins of royal life — tolerated, but no longer trusted. Royal Lodge, with its manicured lawns and fairy-tale cottage, may soon be behind him. What remains is a cautionary tale: of entitlement unchecked, of friendships that should have ended sooner, and of a monarchy forced to draw a line in public. For Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the crown has not merely slipped — it has been firmly taken away.