A new biography of Prince Andrew, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, details explosive allegations about the Duke of York's decades-long association with Jeffrey Epstein, sexual behavior, financial dealings, and strained relationships within the royal family. The book, by royal author Andrew Lownie, claims Andrew's friendship with Epstein began nearly 10 years earlier than the prince has admitted, and that Epstein possessed "16 telephone numbers" for him.
Lownie alleges that Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, also maintained ties with Epstein long after claiming to have severed them. "She flew on the planes, she stayed in the houses," he said, adding that Ferguson stayed in Epstein's apartments after 2010 and benefited from debt repayments that may have totaled "more like two million" dollars, rather than the $20,000 she has acknowledged. Ferguson said in 2011 she "deeply regret[s]" involving Epstein in her affairs and pledged to repay the money.
The book draws on interviews with Epstein's associates, former staff, and alleged victims. Epstein is quoted as saying of Andrew, "We are both serial sex addicts. From the reports I've got back from the women we've shared, he's the most perverted animal in the bedroom." A Reuters correspondent recalled that during the King of Thailand's 2006 jubilee, "more than 40 women" visited Andrew's Bangkok hotel suite, sometimes "more than 10 a day."
Multiple women quoted in the book describe Andrew's alleged sexual conduct. A 20-year-old model said he told her he had "an open marriage arrangement" and pushed for "kinky sexual activity" before abruptly ending contact. Masseuse Emma Gruenbaum alleged he was a "constant sex pest" at Royal Lodge, insisting on being naked during massages and making crude remarks.
Palace insiders described a culture of looking the other way. One former staff member claimed they were warned to "stay away from him" and alleged Andrew sometimes entered staff quarters uninvited. Aides also accused him of petty humiliations, including sidelining an employee for wearing a nylon tie.
Lownie's book also alleges financial impropriety, claiming Andrew once received "$5 million in a suitcase" and was known to request lavish gifts while serving as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The Queen was allegedly aware but unwilling to act "if he wasn't caught and could get away with it."
The exposé includes personal and family tensions, with sources alleging a 2013 physical altercation between Andrew and Prince Harry, which Harry's representatives deny, and claims that Prince William "has long worked behind the scenes to evict his uncle from Royal Lodge." Lownie writes that Andrew criticized Meghan Markle as "too old" and "an opportunist" and looked down on Kate Middleton's background.
Legal risks also remain. Spencer Kuvin, a lawyer who has represented Epstein's alleged victims, said, "I still don't think Andrew can sleep soundly," noting the absence of a statute of limitations for federal sex crimes in the U.S. and warning that a change in Justice Department leadership could revive the investigation. Andrew has denied Virginia Giuffre's allegations and has not visited the U.S. since meeting Epstein in 2010.
