EXCLUSIVE: Plain Old Andy Windsor 'Super Vulnerable' and 'Wide Open' to Being Hit With Criminal Proceedings Now He's Officially a Commoner
Andy Windsor faces vulnerability to criminal proceedings as a commoner.
Nov. 9 2025, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is now "wide open" to possible criminal charges over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein after being formally stripped of his royal titles and privileges, senior royal observers have told RadarOnline.com.
The 65-year-old former Duke of York – once Queen Elizabeth II's "favorite son" – has been officially made a commoner after King Charles III issued Letters Patent removing his style of "Prince" and the title of "His Royal Highness."
Legal Exposure Intensifies
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor faces increased legal exposure after losing his royal titles.
The unprecedented move came amid intensifying scrutiny over Andrew's association with Epstein and renewed public anger following the publication of Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl.
A source said: "Andrew's in a very precarious position now. Without the protection his royal titles gave him, he's more wide open to legal action.
"The Palace has clearly distanced itself, and he's been left to deal with the fallout over his links to Epstein alone. He is a sitting duck for law enforcement, and very vulnerable. He should be getting a top legal team in place now."
Title Stripped, Protection Gone
Campaigners call for private prosecution over his alleged links to Epstein.
King Charles' title-stripping decree declared: "Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of 'Royal Highness' and the titular dignity of 'Prince.'" Buckingham Palace said the censure was "deemed necessary" given the continuing controversy surrounding the disgraced royal's relationship with serial sex predator Epstein.
Another royal source said: "Andrew has never been this exposed, both legally and in the public eye. His title once gave him a degree of protection, but that safety net has vanished. If authorities in the U.S. or U.K. uncover new evidence, he'll be under huge pressure to answer for it just like anyone else."
Calls for Investigation Mount
Andrew prepares to leave Royal Lodge, moving to a smaller property on Sandringham estate.
The transformation of the former prince's position has coincided with calls from campaigners for further investigation into his dealings with Epstein. Republic, the anti-monarchy pressure group, announced it was exploring a possible private prosecution.
Its chief executive Graham Smith said: "It's a devastating indictment on the UK's criminal justice system, police and politicians – not to mention the king and heir – that we must resort to a private prosecution. It should be a cause for concern that so many people believe – rightly in my view – that the royals are not treated equally in law.
"Equality in law is a basic tenet of democracy. I firmly believe there is strong enough evidence to justify a serious investigation.
"The authorities and politicians appear to want to look the other way, while minimising the accusations made against Andrew. The truth must prevail and justice must be seen to be done."
Life as a Commoner and Fallout
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Royal sources say Andrew is “a sitting duck” without the protections his titles once offered. Campaigners call for private prosecution over his alleged links to Epstein.
Andrew, who has consistently denied all allegations of sexual misconduct, settled a U.S. civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre in 2022 for a reported $15million, with no admission of liability. In 2019, he gave a disastrous interview on BBC's Newsnight defending his friendship with Epstein, who was convicted of s-- crimes before dying in prison.
A source told RadarOnline.com U.K. authorities are still quietly reviewing recent claims Andrew had instructed a police protection officer to "dig up dirt" on Giuffre more than a decade ago – something that could also land him in the courts. Meanwhile, Andrew is preparing to leave the Royal Lodge at Windsor and relocate to a smaller property on the King's Sandringham estate.
"He's staying out of sight," said one insider. "The social invites have dried up, and he realizes his days as a public figure are finished. But there's real anxiety that if legal action is taken, it won't just damage him – it could pull the whole monarchy into the mess."
Andrew's staunch ally and ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, 66, is also said to be struggling with the fallout from his latest Epstein scandals.
"Sarah feels guilty for not stepping in sooner to stop him making the wrong choices," said another source. "She's anxious and has even mentioned moving abroad to escape the chaos."
But for now, Andrew's fate hangs in the balance – a man born royal, now left to face potential legal consequences alone.
