EXCLUSIVE: Queen Elizabeth 'Went to Her Grave Believing Her Favorite Son Andrew Was Innocent of Epstein-Linked Crimes'
The late Queen allegedly believed disgraced son Andrew Windsor was innocent of Epstein related allegations.
March 31 2026, Published 7:04 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Queen Elizabeth is said to have remained steadfast in her belief her son Andrew Windsor was innocent of allegations linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
According to a new royal biography that sheds light on her private views in the final years of her life, the late monarch, who died aged 96 in September 2022, apparently rejected claims made against Andrew, now 66, by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged he sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was 17 when she was a victim of his pedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein's s-- trafficking network.
Queen Elizabeth Remained Steadfast in Support
Queen Elizabeth remained steadfast in her belief in Prince Andrew.
Andrew has consistently denied the allegations and settled a civil case in New York in 2022 for a sum widely reported to be around $15million, without accepting any liability.
The controversy intensified following his widely criticized 2019 Newsnight interview with journalist Emily Maitlis, in which he addressed the claims.
Despite mounting public scrutiny, the Queen is understood to have maintained her confidence in her son.
A royal source said: "The Queen went to her grave believing her favorite son Andrew was innocent of Epstein-linked crimes – that belief never wavered, even as pressure mounted from all sides."
The source added: "For her, this was deeply personal. She saw Andrew first and foremost as her son, and that shaped how she viewed the allegations. Even in the face of damaging headlines and that Newsnight interview, she held firm to the view that he had not behaved improperly."
Maternal Loyalty Despite Growing Public Pressure
The monarch rejected sexual assault allegations against her son.
Hugo Vickers writes in his forthcoming book Queen Elizabeth II: "Despite (Andrew's) car-crash interview on Newsnight, and other apparent revelations, the Queen did not believe he had behaved improperly. It is fortunate that she did not live to witness the denouement."
But Vickers added: "Andrew's problems caused the Queen considerable distress in the last years of her life. She was deeply concerned about his future. One idea, developed in the last year of her life, was to set up a foundation that Andrew could administer."
The book suggests while the Queen was troubled by the impact of the allegations against Andrew on the monarchy, she did not accept their substance.
Her position, according to Vickers, reflected both her maternal loyalty and a broader concern for Andrew's long-term role and stability.
King Charles Strips Brother of Official Status
King Charles III stripped his brother of all royal military roles.
Following Elizabeth's death, scrutiny of Andrew intensified with further disclosures related to Epstein, prompting decisive action from King Charles, 77.
Charles stripped his brother of his honorary military roles and royal patronages, and Andrew has been booted out of his palatial Royal Lodge home in Windsor as part of efforts to slash his public profile.
Despite these measures, Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne and continues to deny all allegations of wrongdoing in relation to his links to Epstein.
Vickers' biography portrays a monarch grappling with the personal and institutional consequences of the scandal, while maintaining a firm belief in her son's innocence.
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Elizabeth planned a foundation for Andrew during her final year.
Andrew attended Elizabeth's state funeral at Westminster Abbey, which brought together around 2,000 mourners, including world leaders, members of the royal family, and representatives of public services, marking the end of a reign spanning more than seven decades.
Sources said the Queen spent years "blind" to Andrew's obvious flaws, which insiders ranged from "pure idiocy" to "childish temper tantrums," "pervy" treatment of women, and his bizarre insistence on maintaining a near-100-string collection of teddy bears he required to be perfectly placed each day.
