EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Windsor 'Now 100 Percent Intent on Fleeing to the Gulf' — 'It's the Only Place He Feels He Gets Any Respect'
Andrew Windsor may only have one option left: flee to the Gulf.
July 8 2026, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Exiled Andrew Windsor is increasingly looking to the Gulf as his future home after becoming convinced it is the only part of the world where he is still treated with respect, with insiders telling RadarOnline.com the disgraced royal now sees little prospect of rebuilding his reputation in Britain.
Andrew, the former Duke of York, 66, was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages following the fallout from his association with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Disgraced Royal Andrew Windsor 'Ready to Flee Britain'
Andrew Windsor has increasingly viewed the Gulf as his ideal future home, sources claimed.
Although he has consistently denied wrongdoing and settled a civil sexual assault lawsuit without admitting liability, he has remained largely absent from public life.
Sources say that while he continues to nurture business relationships in the Gulf, he also believes his daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 36, can help preserve the York family's standing within the monarchy as King Charles, 77, keeps him at arm's length.
A palace source said: "Andrew knows Britain is no longer a place where he can rebuild either his reputation or his sense of purpose. He feels every door has effectively been closed to him, whereas in parts of the Gulf, he believes people are still interested in the relationships he has cultivated over decades and the international connections he can offer.
"In his view, he is treated there as someone with experience and influence rather than simply being defined by the controversies that have overshadowed his life. Increasingly, he speaks as though the Gulf represents his best chance of carving out a meaningful future because it's the only place where he feels he is still afforded a degree of respect."
Another insider added: "Andrew has resigned himself to the idea that there is no realistic path back for him in Britain. He believes public opinion has hardened beyond repair and that, within royal circles, he will always be viewed as an outcast regardless of anything he does.
"As a result, he has become increasingly convinced that if he is ever going to regain any sense of purpose, relevance or personal respect, it will have to be outside the UK. He sees the Gulf as one of the few places where he can still build relationships, pursue business opportunities, and be valued for what he brings to the table rather than constantly being defined by his past. He's now almost 100 percent ready to flee Britain for the Gulf."
Andrew Windsor Turns to Daughters Beatrice and Eugenie
Andrew Windsor is said to be turned to his two princess daughters to repair his image.
Meanwhile, Andrew is apparently quietly turning to his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie as his "warriors" in a bid to claw back influence and fight what he sees as his unfair royal exile.
One longtime associate told us: "Andrew speaks about Beatrice and Eugenie as if they are his frontline troops in his battle to be welcomed back into the royal fold, as he sees them as royal daughters by blood who deserve to be treated with respect, not quietly shuffled out of sight or downgraded to the edges of the family."
The source claimed Andrew has become fixated on keeping his daughters on the public stage for his own ends.
They said: "Andrew sees Beatrice and Eugenie as carrying the banner for him – in his book, as long as they are still visible and active in royal circles, the York name stays present, and that, in his view, keeps the door slightly open for him to inch back toward some kind of role in royal life one day."
Royal Comeback Hopes Remain Alive
Andrew Windsor believes British public opinion has hardened entirely beyond repair, insiders claimed.
Another insider claimed: "Andrew is convinced the sanctions against him have gone further than anything imposed on others who have faced serious allegations, and that perceived injustice is what fuels him now.
"In his eyes, Beatrice and Eugenie are entirely innocent of any wrongdoing, and he is determined that they should not be made to carry the burden or consequences of his actions."
Part of that effort has involved encouraging Beatrice and Eugenie to be as prominent as possible at high-profile family events.
Ahead of recent society weddings, Andrew is said to have urged his daughters to ensure they were photographed arriving and leaving, rather than ducking the cameras.
A source familiar with one such exchange said: "He urged them to walk in as though they belonged there, to keep their chins up and make sure the cameras saw them. He didn't want them melting into the background or behaving as if they had something to be ashamed of."
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According to sources, the royal sisters have refused to actively campaign for their father's comeback.
Those close to the sisters say they largely share their father's view they have done nothing wrong by lending their names to commercial ventures – but do not feel comfortable backing their shamed dad to Charles or campaigning for some sort of royal comeback on his behalf, as they fear it would put their own positions in the royal family hierarchy at risk.
Yet Andrew is said to remain convinced that a sustained, respectable presence by Beatrice and Eugenie in the royal orbit could help him one day regain a measure of status.
A source noted: "In Andrew's mind, if Beatrice and Eugenie stay visible and involved, it gradually softens how people see him as well.
"He isn't plotting some grand comeback to full official duties, but he does fantasize about reaching a point where he's no longer treated as a complete outcast."
