Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was widely believed to be Queen Elizabeth’s favourite child who had ‘never done anything wrong in her eyes’.

She remained fiercely protective of her second son throughout her life, even after Andrew was accused of sexual assault by late Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre, in 2019.

In the wake of Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit against the former prince, however, the Queen faced unrelenting pressure to strip Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages

The Queen knew she had to distance the monarchy from the scandal, but her affection for Andrew also put her in a difficult position.

So, the ‘devoted mother’ decided to have a ‘private one-to-one meeting’ with Andrew to ‘soften the blow’ before the official announcement, royal author Robert Jobson said.

However, palace officials quickly ‘intervened’ and the ‘painful’ meeting between mother and son was also attended by the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young, and Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens, he continued.

‘The two senior courtiers told the Queen it was imperative that they witnessed the conversation,’ Mr Jobson wrote in his book The Windsor Legacy.

‘Andrew understandably felt blindsided, though this was far from her intention, as sources close to her confirmed.’

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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, 65 (left) was often widely believed to be the late Queen Elizabeth's (right) favourite son. She remained fiercely protective of her second son, even after Andrew was accused of sexual assault by late Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre, in 2019
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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, 65 (left) was often widely believed to be the late Queen Elizabeth’s (right) favourite son. She remained fiercely protective of her second son, even after Andrew was accused of sexual assault by late Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre, in 2019

Andrew’s friendship with the paedophile financer and Ms Giuffre’s accusations in 2019 were the beginning of the end for the former duke – who was stripped of all his royal titles by King Charles last November.

The former prince was hoping to ‘clear his name’ when he agreed to be interviewed by the BBC’s Emily Maitlis in a notorious car crash Newsnight interview.

Andrew told the Queen it had ‘gone well’ when the nearly one-hour-long interview had, in fact, been a ‘total disaster’, Mr Jobson wrote.

After it was aired on November 16, 2019, Andrew’s reputation further plummeted as the press and public savaged his ‘awkward’ responses to Ms Maitlis’s grilling.

Andrew claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the day he allegedly had sex with Ms Giuffre, then 17,  and that he suffered from a medical condition that meant he could not sweat.

‘As public outrage exploded, the Royal Family closed ranks,’ Mr Jobson wrote.

According to the royal author, Charles, then Prince of Wales, wanted Andrew to be ‘cut adrift’.

Four days after the Newsnight interview, Buckingham Palace announced Andrew was voluntarily stepping down from his role as a senior royal with the Queen’s permission.

The 'devoted mother' (pictured with Andrew in 1964) decided to have a 'private one-to-one meeting' with Andrew to 'soften the blow' before the official announcement, royal author Robert Jobson said
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The ‘devoted mother’ (pictured with Andrew in 1964) decided to have a ‘private one-to-one meeting’ with Andrew to ‘soften the blow’ before the official announcement, royal author Robert Jobson said

Andrew was hoping to 'clear his name' when he agreed to be interviewed by the BBC's Emily Maitlis in a car crash Newsnight interview (pictured)
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Andrew was hoping to ‘clear his name’ when he agreed to be interviewed by the BBC’s Emily Maitlis in a car crash Newsnight interview (pictured)

The 'painful' meeting between The Queen and Andrew was also attended by the Queen's private secretary, Sir Edward Young, and Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens, according to Robert Jobson writing in his book, The Windsor Legacy (pictured)
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The ‘painful’ meeting between The Queen and Andrew was also attended by the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young, and Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens, according to Robert Jobson writing in his book, The Windsor Legacy (pictured)

For the next two years, pressure continued to intensify on the former prince as the civil lawsuit filed by Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, in the United States started moving forward.

By 2022, ‘the Palace power brokers decided enough was enough’ and that the former prince should be stripped of his military titles and patronages, Mr Jobson revealed.

The Queen, then 95, knew she had no other option, but her fondness for Andrew meant it would not be easy.

Before the public announcement on January 13, 2022, ‘the Queen arranged to have a private one-to-one meeting with him to soften the blow’.

But senior courtiers allegedly objected and insisted that Sir Edward Young and Sir Michael Stevens be present when she broke the news to Andrew.

Described by the royal author as a ‘painful moment for both mother and son,’ Andrew reportedly felt ‘blindsided’ by his mother’s unprecedented decision.

In its official statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen had given her ‘approval and agreement’ for Andrew to be stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages.

‘The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending [the civil lawsuit filed by Ms Giuffre] as a private citizen,’ the statement added.

On January 13, 2022, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen had given her 'approval and agreement' for Andrew to be stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages
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On January 13, 2022, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen had given her ‘approval and agreement’ for Andrew to be stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages

In March 2022, just weeks after the Giuffre lawsuit settlement, Andrew publicly escorted his mother to the late Prince Philip's memorial service at London's Westminster Abbey
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In March 2022, just weeks after the Giuffre lawsuit settlement, Andrew publicly escorted his mother to the late Prince Philip’s memorial service at London’s Westminster Abbey

It marked a pivotal moment for the Falklands War veteran who was now left with only the South Atlantic Medal and his Royal Jubilee medals.

A ‘humiliated’ Andrew would now also be unable to wear the uniforms, insignia, or regalia tied to such roles.

‘It was an emotional downfall for the once prominent, proud prince,’ added Mr Jobson.

The following month, it was revealed that Andrew and Ms Giuffre had settled the sexual assault lawsuit out of court for a reported sum of £12million. The terms included ‘a substantial donation to Mis Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’s rights’.

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Ms Roberts was a ‘victim of abuse’ and that he regretted his association with Epstein.

At the time, it was speculated that the Queen helped Andrew pay the multimillion-pound settlement – although Buckingham Palace refused to comment on media reports.

However, the settlement did little to help redeem Andrew’s reputation. Instead, it prompted further outcry, while solidifying the former prince’s status as a royal outcast.

One senior royal source told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Regardless of the outcome, he has ruled himself out of any public role by virtue of his appalling lack of judgment and poor choice of friends and associates.’

In February 2022, it was publicly revealed that Andrew and Virginia Giuffre (both pictured with Ghislaine Maxwell in March 2001) had settled the sexual assault lawsuit out of court for a reported sum of £12million
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In February 2022, it was publicly revealed that Andrew and Virginia Giuffre (both pictured with Ghislaine Maxwell in March 2001) had settled the sexual assault lawsuit out of court for a reported sum of £12million

As members of the Royal Family gathered on Buckingham Palace balcony to celebrate the monarch's 70-year reign, Andrew (pictured with the Queen in 2022) was deliberately missing from the line-up
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As members of the Royal Family gathered on Buckingham Palace balcony to celebrate the monarch’s 70-year reign, Andrew (pictured with the Queen in 2022) was deliberately missing from the line-up

'In her final days, the Queen kept Andrew (pictured in 1960) close, shielding him as palace insiders continued to push for his total exile,' revealed Mr Jobson. The sovereign was said to have told a trusted confidant: 'You have to remember, he is my son'
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‘In her final days, the Queen kept Andrew (pictured in 1960) close, shielding him as palace insiders continued to push for his total exile,’ revealed Mr Jobson. The sovereign was said to have told a trusted confidant: ‘You have to remember, he is my son’

In the months that followed, the Queen’s focus shifted towards her Platinum Jubilee Celebrations and redeeming the Firm’s public image after Andrew’s disgrace and the Sussexes’ unceremonious exit.

As members of the Royal Family gathered on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to celebrate the monarch’s 70-year reign, three notable members were missing from the line-up: Andrew, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle.

The decision to axe Andrew from the historic celebration was an act that proved there was ‘no way back’ into the royal fold for Andrew, experts said at the time.

While the former prince’s public presence virtually diminished, Her Majesty ‘stood by him, loyal to the end’.

Weeks after the Giuffre settlement, Andrew escorted the Queen to Prince Philip’s memorial service at London’s Westminster Abbey in March 2022.

‘In her final days, she kept him close, shielding him as palace insiders continued to push for his total exile,’ Mr Jobson noted.

Confiding ‘her support’ for Andrew to a trusted aide, the monarch allegedly said: ‘You have to remember, he is my son’.

Following her death in September 2022, Andrew ‘lost his strongest ally’.

In a historic decision, King Charles officially stripped Andrew of all his Royal titles, including the title ‘prince‘, amid a fresh wave of allegations linked to his relationship with Epstein last October.

He also ordered Andrew to vacate Royal Lodge, the Grade-II listed property where the ex-Duke has lived rent-free since 2008, having purchased a seventy year lease for one million pounds.