EXCLUSIVE: Why Prince Andrew 'Will Never Have a Public Future' As Fresh Epstein Scandal 'Eats Him Up'
Prince Andrew will never have a public future as the Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues to consume him.
Oct. 1 2025, Published 5:44 p.m. ET
Prince Andrew will never return to public life, according to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, who says the disgraced duke remains consumed by scandal and frustrated by his loss of royal status, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Lownie, 62, spent four years researching Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York. The recently released unauthorized biography charts Andrew's rise and fall and draws on interviews, insider testimony and hundreds of Freedom of Information requests, all of which were rejected by government departments.
A Life of Isolation
Prince Andrew lives in retreat with no public future.
Lownie argues secrecy around the monarchy has only deepened suspicion of the Duke of York, who has remained out of public life since his ties to Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced in 2019.
The historian said: "I don't think he has any public future – I would even say his private life is very limited. He plays golf, watches television, sees his grandchildren, and lives as if retired. The notion that he might return to public duties is simply unrealistic."
His book highlights how attempts to rebuild Andrew's reputation have faltered. Removed from his military roles and prevented from using the style of 'His Royal Highness' in any official capacity, Andrew has struggled with the loss of his identity.
A source said: "What frustrates Andrew most is losing his royal status. Wearing the uniform and having that sense of importance defined him, and without it he feels diminished."
Public Opinion Turns Against Him
Biographer Andrew Lownie claimed Andrew remains consumed by scandal.
Polls suggest public opinion has hardened against Andrew. A new YouGov survey found Andrew, 65, is the most unpopular royal, with 87% of respondents holding a negative view of him and just 5% viewing him positively.
For the monarchy more broadly, the generational divide is stark – 81% of over-65s support its continuation, compared with just 41% of those aged 18 to 24.
A palace aide said: "The monarchy can't expect public trust without openness."
Secrecy Fuels Suspicion
Polls show Andrew is the most unpopular royal in Britain.
Lownie has described receiving dozens of letters from the Foreign Office and the Department for Business and Trade declining his FOI requests about Andrew's work as a trade envoy in the 2000s.
The royal household and royal archives are exempt from the legislation entirely.
According to the author, this lack of transparency has only fueled public doubts.
"The more secrecy there is," Lownie argued, "the more suspicion grows around Andrew and the institution as a whole."
The Epstein Scandal's Lasting Impact
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The Epstein scandal continues to overshadow Andrew’s life.
The Epstein scandal remains central to Andrew's decline. Andrew's car-crash 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, in which he claimed he could not sweat and denied meeting Epstein s-- trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, is widely viewed as the point of no return.
Although Andrew settled Giuffre's civil lawsuit without admitting liability in 2022, Lownie argues the allegations and associations continue to overshadow him.
A source said: "He's become a liability for the Royal Family. Every story about him dominates headlines, and there's simply no desire within the institution to restore him. His circumstances are stuck, and unlikely to shift."
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the book, noting that Andrew is no longer a working royal.
