Queen Elizabeth II allegedly wanted to prepare her son for the decision to strip him of his military ranks and patronages personally by setting up a private meeting where she hoped to “soften the blow.” However, palace advisers insisted that the conversation take place in the presence of her private secretary and the keeper of the royal funds, and ex-Prince Andrew felt caught off guard — the meeting became “painful” for both, the author writes, referring to the book on the Windsor dynasty.
The scandal surrounding Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the accusations from Virginia Giffrey escalated after an unsuccessful interview for the BBC, in which the prince’s attempts to justify himself only increased public outrage. Under pressure from the public and the monarchy’s advisers, in November 2022, in agreement with the Queen, Andrew officially retired from public duties, and in January 2022, his military titles and patronages were revoked.
The Giffry case was progressing in the United States, and in March 2022, the parties allegedly reached an out-of-court agreement for a significant amount, which mentioned a donation in support of victims’ rights; there was no formal admission of guilt. Virginia Giffry, who later committed suicide in April 2025, remained a key figure in the story that led to the further reputational degradation of the ex-prince.
After the death of the Queen, Andrew lost his main patron, and at the end of 2025, King Charles officially stripped him of all royal titles and demanded that the Royal Lodge residence be vacated. Sources emphasize that, despite all the measures taken to isolate the family from the scandal, the queen maintained maternal affection for him until the last days.
