EXCLUSIVE: Royal Family 'Secretly Using Prince Andrew to Distract From Their Other Scandals' — 'He's the Perfect Scapegoat for Their Hidden Sins'
Sources claim Prince Andrew has been used by the royals to deflect from deeper controversies.
Oct. 10 2025, Published 2:10 p.m. ET
Prince Andrew is once again at the center of a royal storm – but palace insiders tell RadarOnline.com his latest public humiliation may not be accidental.
According to multiple sources, senior aides are "quietly using" the 65-year-old Duke of York as a distraction from deeper controversies threatening the monarchy, describing him as "the perfect scapegoat" to deflect from "more damaging truths."
The Convenient Distraction
Prince Andrew faced new humiliation as scandals resurfaced.
The renewed focus on Andrew comes following the release of Andrew Lownie's explosive new biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which details the prince's financial dealings, his enduring ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the mystery of how he continues to fund his lavish lifestyle.
While the revelations have reignited public anger toward the disgraced royal, courtiers are said to see a "silver lining" – that Andrew's scandals help to divert scrutiny from ongoing questions about the royal family's finances, and King Charles' and Prince William's growing wealth from the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
A palace insider said: "It always seems to work out neatly – whenever there's an awkward headline about royal finances or the King's wealth, something about Andrew conveniently pops up. He's become the family's built-in scapegoat, the one people can safely criticize, and it takes attention away from everyone else."
The Embarrassment They Can't Remove
Courtiers saw Andrew as the 'perfect scapegoat' for royal controversies.
Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties in 2019 following his disastrous Newsnight interview about his friendship with Epstein, now lives a largely reclusive life at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Despite losing official roles and military titles, he has retained his grace-and-favor home – a 30-room mansion with estimated annual running costs of $350,000 – and continues to travel by private jet.
Lownie's biography claims he also enjoys financial support from "unexplained sources," including alleged benefactors in the United Arab Emirates.
Royal observers say his continued presence serves an unspoken purpose.
A former aide said: "He's the embarrassment they can’t get rid of – but he's also useful. Public outrage directed at Andrew takes the pressure off the rest of the family. Compared to him, everyone else looks virtuous."
The Palace's 'Fall Guy'
Critics said outrage over Andrew shields King Charles and Prince William.
The theory Andrew is being used to "absorb the shame" of the monarchy's wider troubles has been echoed by critics for years. The duke's fall from grace – from celebrated naval officer to reviled exile – has conveniently paralleled an era of rising discontent about royal privilege.
As one insider put it: "He's the living embodiment of everything wrong with inherited power – and that's precisely why the institution needs him."
Insiders say the duke has grown increasingly paranoid about his status within the family.
One longtime associate said: "Andrew knows he's being hung out to dry, but he's powerless to stop it. Every time he tries to rehabilitate himself, another damaging headline appears. He feels like a prisoner in his own house."
Punishment and Purpose
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Andrew’s $15 million settlement kept questions over royal money alive.
The Lownie book also reignited speculation about how Andrew funded his reported $15million settlement with Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre in 2022 – a sum he denies was an admission of guilt.
The source of those funds has never been publicly confirmed, though palace aides have long insisted "no public money was used."
Meanwhile, royal critics have pointed out King Charles, 76, and Prince William, 43, both receive tens of millions of pounds annually through their private estates – figures far exceeding the salaries of most elected heads of state. But amid questions about royal transparency, Andrew's scandals have proven to be a convenient shield.
A former courtier said: "Every institution needs a fall guy, and Andrew fits that role perfectly. His disgrace makes everyone else look like models of duty. The family won't say it out loud, but they'd rather see him ridiculed in the press than have the public asking where the money really goes."
For now, the Duke remains largely silent – with insiders saying his isolation is serving "both his punishment and his purpose."
