New Book Claims Prince Andrew Maintains His Lavish Lifestyle Through ‘Under-the-Radar’ Activities
Trigger warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse and suicide that some readers may find distressing
After Prince Andrew’s friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was exposed in 2019, public backlash was swift, forcing the Duke of York to step back from royal duties. His connection to Epstein first garnered attention when Virginia Giuffre alleged that she had been trafficked by the financier to engage in an illicit relationship with Andrew while underage. Though the Duke has rarely traveled abroad since the wake of the scandal, a new book claims Andrew continued to fund his lavish lifestyle through discreet 'under-the-radar' activities.
Andrew Lownie's bombshell book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, is an investigative biography of Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. In an excerpt serialized by the Daily Mail, Lownie alleged that the Prince made millions of pounds despite having "no obvious sources of income" after being cut off by the royal family. The author shared that Andrew had received a $317,000 allowance from the late Queen Elizabeth, who had approved the arrangement, and that he was permitted to claim additional expenses. Although government officials had assured the public that he would be "kept on a tight rein," Lownie claimed the Prince "whenever possible... used his official role to indulge other activities."
The author explained that the Duke allegedly played a key role in securing millions, possibly even billions of pounds in business for British companies over the years. At the same time, Andrew was reportedly also "conducting business of his own," including the sale of his Sunninghill Park estate, a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth, to Kazakh oil and gas tycoon Timur Kulibayev. The two allegedly formed a connection during official visits to Kazakhstan, growing close over shared interests, such as grouse shooting.
The author further claimed that Andrew acted "as a fixer for a foreign consortium that wanted to build water and sewage networks in Kazakhstan," raking in nearly $5.1 million in commission. Chiming in on the same, a Buckingham Palace insider cautioned, "There are dozens, if not hundreds, more unwise connections to uncover from Andrew's years in the role." As of now, the Duke’s only official sources of income are his Royal Navy pension and any financial support from his brother or funds inherited from the late Queen.
As reported by CNBC, after Andrew became embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations, the late Queen stripped him of his royal patronages in 2022. Buckingham Palace also made it clear that he would continue to address legal claims as a private citizen. That same year, Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount. Tragically, in April, Giuffre died by suicide, reportedly due to the enduring trauma of her past.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)
If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)