EXCLUSIVE: Fresh Prince Andrew Financial Scandal Rocks Monarchy as Biographer Claims Late Queen Elizabeth 'Knew About and Covered Up’ Duke’s Dodgy Cash Deals
Prince Andrew's apparent money issues may have been 'covered up' by Queen Elizabeth.
Aug. 12 2025, Published 7:45 p.m. ET
Prince Andrew's biographer Andrew Lownie claims the late Queen Elizabeth was not only aware of but complicit in covering up the duke's questionable financial dealings, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"They knew exactly what was going on. People are not going to like it, but the Queen was colluding in this," Lownie declared.
A 'Serial Sex Addict?'
Biographer Andrew Lownie’s new book revealed decades of scandal around Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
The 64-year-old author's explosive new book, The Rise and Fall of the House of York, lays bare decades of indulgence and scandal surrounding the 65-year-old duke and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, 65.
It details Andrew's lurid lifestyle – including claims he is a "serial sex addict" who reportedly slept with more than 1,000 women and often behaved like a spoilt child within royal residences.
His golf cheating is also described as "Trumpian" in the tome, while other lurid anecdotes include leaving soiled tissues in his bedroom for others to find.
Sarah, meanwhile, is portrayed as a spendthrift with reportedly $33,000 splurged in just one shopping spree at Bloomingdale's, with her butler also apparently tasked with rising before dawn to prepare her lavish meals.
Money Woes?
The Jeffrey Epstein friendship led to Andrew losing royal duties and titles.
But beyond the sex and sleaze, Lownie's book exposes how the couple's excesses were fueled by a complex web of financial support, much of it murky and unexplained.
The biographer, who is a former Conservative parliamentary candidate and staunch monarchist, insists the real scandal surrounding the couple is financial rather than sexual.
"I'm very keen on the monarchy and want it to survive," he said. "But the finances behind Andrew's lifestyle are deeply troubling."
Lownie explores the sources of Andrew's wealth in his book, including the millions spent refurbishing Royal Lodge and an alleged multimillion-pound payoff linked to Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre by Andrew after she accused the royal of bedding her when she was a teen.
He also points to large sums from Turkish millionaire Nebahat Isbilen, purportedly a gift for Andrew and Sarah's daughter Princess Beatrice's wedding, later repaid, and connections to David Rowland, a multi-millionaire scrap metal tycoon who provided loans and accompanied Andrew on taxpayer-funded trips.
Did The Queen Know?
Lownie claimed Queen Elizabeth helped cover up Andrew's finances.
"These taxpayer-funded jaunts were often used for his own business interests," Lownie said. "The sheer brazenness of it shocked me. The cover-up from the Palace was astounding."
Lownie further alleges the Queen did not simply ignore these dealings but actively allowed them to continue. "I originally thought she put her head in the sand. But I increasingly believe she knew and allowed it to happen," he theorized.
Lownie contrasts the late monarch's stance with that of King Charles and Prince William, both of whom he believes have a clearer view of Andrew's faults.
The book also delves into Andrew's controversial friendship with Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of sex trafficking, who Lownie claims was invited to royal residences including Windsor and Balmoral.
"Andrew gave Epstein respectability. Epstein opened doors for Andrew to meet people he might not otherwise have met," said Lownie.
This friendship eventually led to Andrew's removal from official royal duties and being stripped of his right to use the HRH title.
Lownie suggests Andrew's reliance on such controversial figures stems partly from loneliness, noting the prince has few close friends and mostly transactional relationships.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's jailed madam and fixer, is also said to have had an intimate relationship with Andrew, frequently visiting and staying overnight at royal residences.
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Lownie’s book linked Andrew’s multimillion-pound payoff to Virginia Giuffre’s sex trafficking claims.
Despite challenges accessing information, having submitted hundreds of freedom of information requests to government departments with many refusals, Lownie gathered testimony from diplomats, naval colleagues, and members of Andrew's social circle.
He describes the culture of secrecy within the civil service as a barrier to transparency.
Lownie's background as a barrister and author of previous royal exposés has made him familiar with legal battles over disclosure.
He previously spent nearly $700,000 fighting the Cabinet Office to release Lord Mountbatten's archives, a costly struggle that strained his finances.
Lownie hopes his book will prompt reform in the monarchy.
"The institution relies on the trust and support of people," he said. "We tolerate a lot if we feel there is value for money and openness. When that trust is broken, people won't stand for it."
As for his persistence in unveiling royal secrets, Lownie quipped: "I suppose I am a bit of an obsessive nutter. But sometimes you need that."
