Book Claims Queen Worried Over Andrew-Epstein Ties
A new book has claimed Queen Elizabeth II was “deeply concerned” about Prince Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein in the final years of her life, as the Duke of York faced mounting scrutiny over his connections to the late financier.
Author Mr Hugo Vickers wrote that the late monarch was “deeply concerned” about Andrew’s future and that an idea discussed in her last year was to set up a foundation that he could administer, OK! reported in a write-up carried by AOL.
The piece also revisits Virginia Giuffre’s allegations that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was 17, which he has denied, and notes the civil case was settled out of court in 2022 for an undisclosed sum.
Mr Vickers is quoted as writing that the Queen “did not believe he had behaved improperly” despite what he described as the Duke’s “car-crash” 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, in which Andrew denied knowing Ms Giuffre and questioned the authenticity of a widely circulated photograph of them together.
Wider debate about Andrew’s position in the Royal Family has continued, with Prince William previously reported to have been urged to take tougher action on Andrew as the monarchy navigates the long-running fallout from the Epstein scandal.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor representatives for the Duke were cited as commenting on the book claims in the report, but the allegations underline how Andrew’s past associations have continued to cast a shadow over the Royal Family even after the Queen’s death.
