A prominent royal biographer has leveled shocking allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, claiming the disgraced former prince frequently “bullied” his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, during the final years of her life.
According to historian Andrew Lownie, author of the biography Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, the former Duke of York regularly used aggressive persuasion tactics on the late monarch to secure royal privileges, specifically regarding the status and protections of his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Leveraging the Late Queen’s “Blind Spot”
Speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival, Lownie described the complex power dynamic between the late Queen and her rumored “favorite son.” The author claimed that as Queen Elizabeth’s health and mental clarity declined toward the end of her life, Andrew took advantage of her vulnerability.
“By the end of her life… he would go up there and he would bully her into doing things,” Lownie alleged.
The biographer noted that while King Charles III was effectively managing the day-to-day operations of the monarchy during those final years, Andrew still managed to bypass boundaries by appealing directly to his mother. Lownie characterized Andrew as an incredibly “self-important fellow” who felt fundamentally entitled to the perks of the monarchy.
The Fight for Princess Beatrice and Eugenie
A central point of contention within the Royal Family was the official roles and taxpayer-funded security details for Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Andrew reportedly fought bitterly to ensure his daughters maintained their HRH (Her Royal Highness) titles and full-time royal security, despite the royal institution moving toward a more streamlined, “slimmed-down” monarchy. Insiders have long hinted that Andrew blamed his brother, King Charles, for sidelining his family, prompting him to pressure the late Queen to intervene on their behalf.
A Tragic Flaw in the Monarchy
Lownie argued that Queen Elizabeth’s unconditional love for Andrew ultimately became a “tragic flaw,” drawing a historical parallel to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who similarly turned a blind eye to her son’s controversial ambitions and missteps.
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The author concluded that the late Queen, alongside other members of the Royal Household, effectively “abetted” Andrew’s behavior for decades by overprotecting him and shielding him from accountability—a pattern that ultimately culminated in the massive reputational crisis currently facing the House of Windsor.