Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Public opinion and media debates around Prince Andrew, Duke of York—discover key moments of controversy.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is a member of the British royal family and the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Once second in line to the throne, he is now eighth. He served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot and instructor. Prince Andrew's reputation has been significantly damaged due to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, leading to allegations of sexual assault, which he denies. As a result, he has been stripped of his military titles and royal patronages and has withdrawn from public duties.
1984: Paint incident with journalists
During his 1984 Southern California tour, Prince Andrew squirted paint onto American and British journalists and photographers. The Los Angeles Herald Examiner submitted a $1,200 bill for damages.
1996: Charlotte Briggs' account of treatment
In 1996, Prince Andrew's former maid, Charlotte Briggs, recalled setting up teddy bears on his bed and stated that when she was bitten by his Norfolk Terrier he only laughed. She also stated that he was reduced to tears by Andrew for not properly closing the heavy curtains in his office.
1999: Picture of Epstein and Maxwell on Queen's Balmoral estate shown to jury
Around 1999, a picture of Epstein and Maxwell, sitting at a cabin on the Queen's Balmoral estate at the invitation of Prince Andrew, was shown to the jury to establish their status as partners.
March 2001: Andrew denies having sex with Giuffre
In March 2001, Andrew denied having sex with Giuffre, claiming he was at a PizzaExpress branch in Woking with his daughter Beatrice and that he temporarily lost the ability to sweat after an "adrenaline overdose" during the Falklands War.
May 2001: Andrew flew three times with Epstein and Giuffre in 2001
On 12 May 2001, Epstein's pilot David Rodgers recorded Prince Andrew's name in his logbook, and he testified that Andrew flew three times with Epstein and Giuffre in 2001.
2001: Giuffre alleged sexual encounter with Andrew in London
In 2001, Virginia Giuffre asserted that she had sex with Prince Andrew in London when she was 17, and alleged that Jeffrey Epstein paid her $15,000 after the encounter.
2001: Start of period when documents covering Prince Andrew's business trips will not be released until 2065
In 2001, official documents covering Prince Andrew's business trips between 2001 and 2011 began to be withheld by the Foreign Office until 2065, which has been alleged to be a government coverup.
2007: Alleged racist comment at state dinner
In 2007, former home secretary Jacqui Smith claimed that Prince Andrew made a racist comment about Arabs during a state dinner for the Saudi royal family. Buckingham Palace denied the claim.
2008: Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution
In 2008, Jeffrey Epstein, a friend of Prince Andrew, pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18.
2008: Affidavit from Giuffre accusing US Justice Department
In 2008, an affidavit from Virginia Giuffre was included in an earlier lawsuit accusing the US Justice Department of violating the Crime Victims' Rights Act during Epstein's first criminal case; Andrew was otherwise not a party to the lawsuit.
July 2009: Andrew present at official opening ceremony of Banque Havilland
In July 2009, Prince Andrew was present for the official opening ceremony of Banque Havilland, a bank that has been alleged to have sought to service dictators and kleptocrats.
2009: Conviction of Paul Page
In 2009, former royal protection officer Paul Page, who had recounted Maxwell's frequent visits to Buckingham Palace, was convicted and sentenced to six years following a £3 million property investment scam.
May 2010: Sarah Ferguson filmed offering access to Andrew for money
In May 2010, Sarah Ferguson was filmed by a News of the World reporter saying Andrew had agreed that if she were to receive £500,000, he would meet the donor and pass on useful top-level business contacts. She was filmed receiving, in cash, US$40,000 as a down payment.
December 2010: Caroline Kaufman stated she saw Andrew at Epstein's New York mansion
In December 2010, Caroline Kaufman, an alleged victim of Epstein, said in a federal lawsuit that she had seen Prince Andrew at Epstein's New York mansion.
December 2010: Andrew photographed strolling with Epstein in Central Park
In December 2010, Prince Andrew was photographed strolling with Jeffrey Epstein in Central Park during a visit to New York City.
2010: Andrew Regretted Meeting Epstein in 2010 after Epstein had already pleaded guilty to sex crimes
In 2010, Andrew expressed regret for meeting Epstein after Epstein had already pleaded guilty to sex crimes.
2010: Andrew stayed at Epstein's mansion
In 2010, Andrew stayed in Epstein's mansion for three days after Epstein's conviction for sex offences against a minor, stating it was "a convenient place to stay" and that he met Epstein to end their relationship.
2010: Sale of Sunninghill Park to Timur Kulibayev
In 2010, it was revealed that Timur Kulibayev, President Nazarbayev's son-in-law, paid Andrew's representatives £15 million for Andrew's Surrey mansion, Sunninghill Park.
2010: Expenses as Trade Envoy
In 2010, the Prince spent £620,000 as a trade envoy, including £154,000 on hotels, food and hospitality and £465,000 on travel.
February 2011: Suitability Challenged in the House of Commons
In February 2011, Andrew's suitability for his role as Special Representative was challenged in the House of Commons due to his relationships with controversial figures.
March 2011: Reports of criticism over Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein
In March 2011, BBC News reported that Prince Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was producing "a steady stream of criticism," and there were calls for him to step down from his role as trade envoy.
March 2011: Campaign Against Arms Trade criticism of Andrew's role with UKTI
In March 2011, the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) criticized Prince Andrew's role as a front man for UKTI, stating that he was used to sell arms, potentially to despotic regimes, and acted as a cheerleader for the arms industry.
March 2011: Report on Trade Envoy Expenses
On 8 March 2011, The Daily Telegraph reported that in 2010, Andrew spent £620,000 as a trade envoy, including £154,000 on hotels, food and hospitality and £465,000 on travel.
July 2011: Stepping Down as Special Representative
In July 2011, Andrew stepped down from his role as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment due to controversies and ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
July 2011: Andrew's role as trade envoy terminated
In July 2011, Prince Andrew's role as trade envoy was terminated, and he reportedly cut all ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
2011: The Mail on Sunday publishes photograph of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell
In 2011 The Mail on Sunday first published the photograph of Andrew along with Maxwell and Giuffre. Later the photographer confirmed the photo was developed on 13 March 2001 and was printed at a one-hour photo lab at Walgreens in Florida.
2011: End of period when documents covering Prince Andrew's business trips will not be released until 2065
In 2011, official documents covering Prince Andrew's business trips between 2001 and 2011 ended and are being withheld by the Foreign Office until 2065, which has been alleged to be a government coverup.
May 2012: Investigation into Enviro Pacific Investments
In May 2012, it was reported that Swiss and Italian police were investigating Enviro Pacific Investments' activities regarding deals in Kazakhstan.
2012: Alleged racist comment to Rohan Silva
In 2012, Rohan Silva, a former Downing Street aide, claimed that Prince Andrew made a racist comment during a meeting. Buckingham Palace denied the claim.
2012: Sarah Ferguson admits error of judgement
In 2012, Sarah admitted that she had made a "gigantic error of judgement" in allowing Jeffrey Epstein to pay off a debt for her, and apologised for accepting money from him. She did, however, continue to defend Andrew's controversial former friendship with Epstein.
September 2013: Email mentions seeing Prince Andrew receive foot massage at Epstein's New York residence
In September 2013, an email exchange between John Brockman and Evgeny Morozov mentioned seeing a British man nicknamed "Andy" receive a foot massage from two Russian women at Epstein's New York residence during his last visit to the mansion in 2010, and had realised "that the recipient of Irina's foot massage was His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York".
2013: Criticism of Royal Society election
In 2013, Prince Andrew's election to the Royal Society prompted criticism from British scientists due to his lack of scientific background. David Colquhoun, a pharmacologist and Fellow of the Royal Society, questioned Andrew's qualifications.
January 2014: Andrew's delegation to Bahrain draws criticism
In January 2014, Prince Andrew's participation in a delegation to Bahrain drew criticism. CAAT called on Prince Andrew and the UK government to stop selling arms to Bahrain, stating his endorsement of the Bahraini dictatorship gave implicit support to their oppressive practices.
2014: Virginia Giuffre's Allegations
In 2014, Virginia Giuffre alleged that she was sex trafficked to Andrew by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell when she was 17 years old. Andrew denied the allegations.
January 2015: Libby Purves' Commentary in The Times
In January 2015, Libby Purves wrote in The Times about Prince Andrew's tendency to be easily impressed by wealth and power, leading to friendships with "bad, corrupt and clever men".
January 2015: Renewed media pressure regarding Andrew's connection with Epstein
In January 2015, there was renewed media and public pressure for Buckingham Palace to explain Prince Andrew's connection with Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace denied any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors.
2015: Maxwell questions authenticity of photo
In 2015, Ghislaine Maxwell emailed her lawyer trying to confirm that she recognised her own house in a photograph with Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre, stating that the whole image cannot be authentic.
2015: Motion describing Andrew having sexual relations with a woman
In 2015, a motion described Andrew having sexual relations with one of two women – speculated to be Giuffre – at Maxwell's flat in London, in New York, and on Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands "in an orgy with numerous other underaged girls".
2015: Banque Havilland loan of £1.25 million to Andrew 'extended or increased' since 2015
Since 2015, Banque Havilland loan of £1.25 million to Andrew 'extended or increased' 10 times. In November 2017, Andrew borrowed £250,000 from Banque Havilland, adding to the loan.
2015: Stark defends Andrew
When Andrew was facing accusations in 2015 over his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, Koo Stark came to his defence.
May 2016: Allegations of Brokering Deal in Kazakhstan
In May 2016, the Daily Mail alleged that Andrew brokered a deal to assist a consortium in securing a £385 million contract in Kazakhstan and stood to gain a commission. Buckingham Palace denied the allegations.
2016: Epstein's butler stated Andrew spent weeks at Epstein house
In 2016, Juan "John" Alessi, who was Epstein's butler, stated in a deposition he filed for Giuffre's 2016 defamation case against Maxwell that Prince Andrew's visits to the Epstein house in Palm Beach were more frequent than previously thought and Andrew spent weeks there and received daily massages.
November 2017: Andrew borrows £250,000 from Banque Havilland
In November 2017, Prince Andrew borrowed £250,000 from Banque Havilland, adding to an existing £1.25 million loan that had been extended or increased 10 times since 2015.
December 2017: £1.5 million transferred to Andrew's account to pay off loan
In December 2017, £1.5 million was transferred from an account controlled by the Rowland family to Prince Andrew's account at Banque Havilland, paying off a loan due in March 2018.
March 2018: Loan due date after £1.5 million transferred to Andrew's account
In March 2018, a loan to Prince Andrew from Banque Havilland, which had been due in March 2018, was paid off in December 2017 after a £1.5 million transfer from an account controlled by the Rowland family.
June 2019: Introduction of Andrew to Selman Turk
In June 2019, Tarek Kaituni, a Libyan-born convicted gun smuggler, introduced Prince Andrew to Selman Turk and held later meetings on at least two occasions.
August 2019: Court documents reveal allegation of Andrew touching Johanna Sjoberg
In August 2019, court documents revealed Johanna Sjoberg gave evidence alleging Prince Andrew placed his hand on her breast while in Epstein's mansion posing for a photo with his Spitting Image puppet. Prince Andrew released a statement stating he did not witness any behaviour of the sort that led to Epstein's arrest and conviction.
November 2019: Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis
In November 2019, the BBC's Newsnight aired an interview between Andrew and Emily Maitlis where he discussed his friendship with Epstein for the first time.
November 2019: £750,000 transferred from wife of İlhan İşbilen to Andrew
In November 2019, the wife of the jailed Turkish former politician İlhan İşbilen transferred £750,000 to Prince Andrew, in the belief that it would help her secure a passport. Days before, Selman Turk had been awarded the People's Choice Award for his business Heyman AI at a Pitch@Palace event held at St James's Palace.
November 2019: Andrew suspends public duties
On 20 November 2019, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew was suspending his public duties "for the foreseeable future" with the consent of the Queen, and was to step down from all 230 of his patronages, although he expressed a wish to have some sort of public role at some future time.
2019: Suspension of military affiliations
In 2019, Prince Andrew's military affiliations were suspended.
2019: Campaign to strip earldom of Inverness
In 2019, following Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, residents of Inverness started a campaign to strip him of the earldom of Inverness.
2019: Establishment of the Urramoor Trust after Newsnight interview
In 2019, several months after Prince Andrew's controversial Newsnight interview, his private office established the Urramoor Trust.
2019: Andrew tells Newsnight his association with Epstein derived from Maxwell
In the 2019 BBC interview, Andrew told Newsnight his association with Epstein derived from his long-standing friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted of colluding in Epstein's sexual abuse.
January 2020: Recommendation for security downgrade
In January 2020, the Home Office recommended a "major downgrade of security" for Andrew. American lawyer Geoffrey Berman stated that Andrew had provided "zero co-operation" with federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the ongoing investigations.
March 2020: Andrew hires crisis-management expert
In March 2020, Andrew hired Mark Gallagher, a crisis-management expert.
April 2020: Duke of York Young Champions Trophy discontinued
In April 2020, it was reported that the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy would not be played anymore.
May 2020: Resignation from Public Roles
In May 2020, Andrew resigned from public roles following criticism for his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
May 2020: Andrew permanently resigns from public roles
In May 2020, it was announced that Andrew would permanently resign from all public roles over his Epstein ties.
May 2020: Investigation of Prince Andrew Charitable Trust
In May 2020, it was reported that the Prince Andrew Charitable Trust was under investigation by the Charity Commission regarding regulatory issues about £350,000 of payments to his former private secretary Amanda Thirsk.
June 2020: Andrew is a person of interest in US criminal investigation
In June 2020, it became known that Andrew is a person of interest in a criminal investigation in the United States, and that the United States had filed a mutual legal assistance request to British authorities in order to question Andrew.
July 2020: Andrew cancels trip to Spain
Following the arrest of Maxwell in July 2020, Andrew cancelled a planned trip to Spain, reportedly due to fears that he might be arrested and extradited to the United States.
July 2020: Caroline Kaufman stated she saw Andrew at Epstein's New York mansion
In July 2020, Caroline Kaufman, an alleged victim of Epstein, said in a federal lawsuit that she had seen Prince Andrew at Epstein's New York mansion in December 2010.
August 2020: Anti-child trafficking protest at Buckingham Palace
In August 2020, anti-child trafficking protesters chanted "Paedophile! Paedophile!" referencing Andrew outside Buckingham Palace.
November 2020: Report on Andrew's assistance to Banque Havilland
In November 2020, Bloomberg Businessweek reported on Prince Andrew using his role as trade envoy to help David Rowland and his private bank, Banque Havilland, secure deals with clients. Banque Havilland allegedly sought to service dictators and kleptocrats.
August 2021: Giuffre sues Andrew
In August 2021, Giuffre sued Andrew in the federal District Court for the Southern District of New York, accusing him of "sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress".
October 2021: Andrew's lawyers deny Giuffre's allegations
On 29 October 2021, Andrew's lawyers filed a response, stating that their client "unequivocally denies Giuffre's false allegations".
November 2021: Epstein's pilot testified Andrew flew in Epstein's private plane
In November 2021, Lawrence Visoski, Epstein's pilot, testified in court that Prince Andrew flew in Epstein's private plane along with other prominent individuals. Visoski stated he did not notice any sexual activity or wrongdoing on the plane.
January 2022: Ceased using honorary military titles
In January 2022, Andrew ceased using his honorary military titles due to a sexual assault civil case. It was reported that he would retain his service rank of vice admiral.
January 2022: Removal of affiliations and patronages
In January 2022, Prince Andrew's social media accounts were deleted, his page on the royal family's website was rewritten, and his military affiliations and patronages were removed. He also stopped using the style His Royal Highness (HRH). York Racecourse announced it would rename the Duke of York Stakes. Prince Andrew High School in Nova Scotia also stated that it would have a new name at the next academic year.
January 2022: Removal of Honorary Military Affiliations and Royal Patronages
In January 2022, Queen Elizabeth II removed Andrew's honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
January 2022: Giuffre's former boyfriend and Maxwell's witness discuss Andrew
In January 2022, Virginia Giuffre's former boyfriend, Anthony Figueroa, said that Giuffre told him Epstein would take her to meet Prince Andrew and the meeting had taken place in London. The same month, Carolyn Andriano said that in 2001, 17-year-old Giuffre told her that she had slept with Andrew and "didn't seem upset about it".
January 2022: Restricted use of HRH style
In January 2022, it was reported that Prince Andrew would no longer use the style of His Royal Highness in a public capacity, although he retained it and has used it in a private capacity.
January 2022: Judge Kaplan allows lawsuit to proceed
On 12 January 2022, Judge Kaplan rejected Andrew's attempts to dismiss the case, allowing the sexual abuse lawsuit to proceed.
January 2022: Military affiliations returned to the Queen
On 13 January 2022, Prince Andrew's military affiliations were formally returned to Queen Elizabeth II.
February 2022: Settlement of Sexual Assault Lawsuit
In February 2022, Andrew settled the civil lawsuit over sexual assault filed by Virginia Giuffre out of court, paying her an undisclosed sum.
February 2022: Flag flying controversy
In February 2022, Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Assembly decided not to fly a union flag for Prince Andrew's birthday. Also, the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council announced a debate in June 2022 regarding renaming Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus.
February 2022: Publication of photograph with Maxwell
In February 2022, The Daily Telegraph published a photograph of Prince Andrew with Ghislaine Maxwell giving Bill Clinton and Kevin Spacey a tour of Buckingham Palace, with a tour member stating that Maxwell led them into the palace.
March 2022: Appearance at memorial service
In March 2022, Prince Andrew made his first official appearance in months, assisting the Queen at a memorial service for his father, the Duke of Edinburgh. This appearance drew mixed reactions, with some criticizing the message it sent to victims of sexual abuse.
March 2022: Report on payment from wife of İlhan İşbilen to Andrew
In March 2022, it was reported that in November 2019, the wife of the jailed Turkish former politician İlhan İşbilen transferred £750,000 to Prince Andrew, believing it would help her secure a passport. Andrew repaid the money 16 months later.
April 2022: Removal of Freedom of the City
On 27 April 2022, York City Council unanimously voted to remove Prince Andrew's Freedom of the City. Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, noted this was unprecedented.
June 2022: Exclusion from public Garter Day procession
In June 2022, Prince Andrew participated in private aspects of the Garter Day ceremony but was excluded from the public procession due to interventions from Prince Charles and Prince William.
June 2022: Introduction of 'Removal of Titles' Bill
In June 2022, Rachael Maskell introduced a 'Removal of Titles' private members bill in the House of Commons. The bill aimed to allow the removal of aristocratic titles from those deemed unworthy, a process not currently possible without an act of Parliament.
October 2022: Maxwell expresses feeling "bad" for Andrew
In October 2022, Ghislaine Maxwell, while in prison, stated she felt "bad" for Andrew but their friendship could not survive her conviction. She also questioned the authenticity of the photograph of her, Andrew, and Giuffre.
October 2022: Loss of government funding
In October 2022, it was reported that Prince Andrew no longer received any government funding.
November 2022: Expected loss of police protection
In November 2022, reports indicated that Prince Andrew was set to lose his police protection as he was no longer expected to perform public duties.
December 2022: Complaint about security situation
In December 2022, The Telegraph reported that Prince Andrew had written to the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police to complain about the prospect of losing his police protection.
2022: Reports of behaviour towards servants
In 2022, reports emerged detailing Prince Andrew's alleged brusque treatment of servants. A former footman described being told to "fuck off", and former royal protection officer Paul Page claimed Andrew maintained a specific order for his collection of stuffed toys, reacting abusively if it was not followed.
2022: Renewed petition and calls to relinquish title
In 2022, there was a renewed petition in Inverness to strip Andrew of the earldom. Rachael Maskell stated she would look for ways to make Andrew give up his ducal title and the City of York Council voted to remove his honorary freedom of the city.
January 2023: Ian Maxwell releases photos to dispute Giuffre's account
In January 2023, Ian Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell's brother, released photos showing acquaintances sitting in the bathtub where the alleged incident took place to dispute Giuffre's account.
January 2023: Loss of suite at Buckingham Palace
In January 2023, it was reported that Prince Andrew could no longer use his suite of rooms at Buckingham Palace.
2023: Chris Yang barred from entry to the United Kingdom
In 2023, Chris Yang, a Chinese businessman who had been invited to royal events by Prince Andrew, was barred from entry to the United Kingdom due to alleged engagement in covert and deceptive activity on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. Andrew ceased all contact with Yang following government concerns.
January 2024: Release of Epstein-related documents
In January 2024, a series of documents related to Epstein were released by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, including allegations against Andrew. The Metropolitan Police announced that they would not be launching an investigation into the allegations but would assess "new and relevant" information should any come to light.
August 2024: Withdrawal of funds for security
In August 2024, The Telegraph reported that the King would be withdrawing funds for Prince Andrew's security by the end of October, requiring him to pay for future security at his Royal Lodge home.
October 2025: Publication of Andrew's email to Epstein
In October 2025, The Mail on Sunday and The Sun on Sunday published a previously undisclosed email from Andrew to Epstein from February 2011, including the line "We are in this together and will have to rise above it".
October 2025: Agreement to cease using peerages and honors
On 17 October 2025, following discussions with the King, Prince Andrew agreed to cease using his peerages and his honours, including his knighthoods as a Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
October 2025: Reports reveal Andrew's email to Epstein
Reports in October 2025 revealed Andrew had sent an email to Epstein in February 2011 after the photograph of him with Giuffre was published, saying "we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!!"
2065: Scheduled release of documents covering Prince Andrew's business trips between 2001 and 2011
In 2065, the Foreign Office is scheduled to release official documents covering Prince Andrew's business trips between 2001 and 2011. This is part of what has been claimed to be a concerted Government coverup.
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