The late Queen Elizabeth II was often deemed as having a ‘favourite child’, with Andrew Mountbatten Windsor having a very different upbringing to his elder siblings
The late Queen’s true feelings on her disgraced son Andrew have emerged.
Booted out from his royal mansion under the cloak of darkness, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will now live out the rest of his days in royal exile after his connections to Epstein brought great shame to the monarchy.
His new life in Sandringham will be world’s away from the lavish parties, banquets and servants he has spent his whole life enjoying – King Charles is said to have offered him the use of some of his staff at his new property, but he’s still “appalled” by his downsized home of Marsh Farm.
With former staff alleging “entitled” behaviour from the ex-duke, including ridiculous late night demands, epic tantrums and claims of bullying, royal watchers have been left wondering what Andrew’s upbringing looked like before his extraordinary downfall in later life. And experts say that his relationship with his mother Queen Elizabeth II could be quite telling.
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It’s well documented that Andrew held a uniquely close place in her affections, even when he became engulfed in scandal. Discussing his departure from Royal Lodge, royal author Phil Dampier told HELLO!: “The poor late Queen would be absolutely heartbroken to see what’s happened to the son who was often referred to as her favourite.”
Andrew was the Queen’s third child and second son – born eight years after Princess Anne and more than a decade after Charles. By the time he arrived, Elizabeth was an experienced monarch, not a young princess balancing early motherhood with royal duty.
This timing gave her more opportunity to spend time with Andrew and his younger brother Prince Edward during their childhood years. Unlike Charles and Princess Anne, who were largely raised while their mother’s royal responsibilities were intensifying following her accession in 1952, Andrew grew up when palace systems and routines were more settled. Commentators have argued that this allowed for a more relaxed and hands-on maternal relationship.
The differences in childhoods are stark. In a shocking revelation, royal biographer Penny Junor wrote in her 2005 book ‘The Firm’ that Charles’ nanny “was such a terrifying woman that the Queen kept out of the nursery while she was in charge.” This reduced the amount of time she spent with her eldest son.
“By the time the Queen had the two younger children Helen Lightbody [their first Nanny] had gone and Mabel Anderson, her deputy and a much easier character, was in charge,” the author explained. “She and the Queen were good friends and brought the children up together.”
While Edward and Charles are close, there’s said to be no love lost between Edward and Andrew, who are just four years apart in age. Even as children in the nursery, Andrew is said have been a “bruiser” who ‘bullied’ his younger sibling and stole his cake.
According to royal author Robert Jobson, Edward was closest to sensitive Charles, despite their 16-year age gap. At nights, he says, Charles would read to his little brother and make up stories, enjoying their shared imagination and humour.
“Andrew, meanwhile, was loud and robust. He would constantly swipe his younger brother. If he saw Edward going for a particular piece of cake, Andrew would try to grab it first. Edward learned to yield to him,” Jobson wrote in the Daily Mail.
Andrew and his mother also shared a passion for horses and riding. Queen Elizabeth II was famously passionate about horses throughout her life – from riding in her youth to her deep involvement in breeding and racing.
Andrew also rode from a young age, and this shared interest was likely a bonding point for the pair. The former Duke of York is regularly spotted on horseback riding around the Windsor Estate, though he will have to find a new riding spot after moving to Sandringham.
The pair’s love of animals also extended to the late Queen’s corgis. Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis over her lifetime, and Andrew – along with his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie – was closely associated with caring for the dogs.
After the death of Prince Philip in 2021, Andrew and his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York, were given two of the Queen’s corgis (Muick and Sandy) to look after. After the Queen’s death in 2022, it was confirmed that the dogs would continue living with Andrew and Sarah at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
The Queen’s visible warmth toward Andrew was often noted at public events. Royal watchers frequently pointed to her body language and informal interactions with him, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, when Andrew served as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot and later flew missions during the Falklands War in 1982. The Queen was said to be especially proud of his military service, and Andrew was one of the few senior royals to see active wartime duty in modern times.
Even during the later controversy surrounding Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein – which led to his withdrawal from public royal duties in 2019 – the Queen continued to support him as a family member. Andrew has vehemently and repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
In January 2022, the late monarch removed his honorary military roles and royal patronages, and he stopped using the style “HRH” in an official capacity, but reports at the time stressed that this was an institutional decision. He continued to appear with her at limited family and ceremonial moments, including Prince Philip’s memorial service in 2022, where he escorted her into Westminster Abbey.
Now, Andrew has not only lost his last remaining honorary military title, but he has also been forced to leave his beloved Royal Lodge home. The former Prince packed his bags and moved 162 miles to Sandringham on Monday, where he will eventually move into Marsh Farm in April.
However, it’s believed there’s been tensions behind closed doors for years on how to deal with the “Andrew problem,” with key royal figures including Prince William reported to be frustrated that he stayed somewhat in the fold for so long.
And now, as Andrew finds himself embroiled in scandal yet again, royal expert Afua Acheampong-Hagan argues that the “favourable” treatment Andrew received for a long time was a far cry from how the House of Windsor approached Harry and Meghan. “Look how protected Andrew is, the Queen’s favourite son,” she told the Mirror.
Meanwhile, Andrew Lownie, a royal author who penned an explosive biography of Andrew and Sarah ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’, claims that while the late Queen might have been where the buck stopped formally, “for the last 15 years of her life, she was sharing her role with Charles.”
In response to bombshell emails in the latest tranche of Epstein files, which suggest that Andrew and the paedophile had arranged a meeting at Buckingham Palace itself, Lownie argued: “You can’t entertain in Buckingham Palace without going through all sorts of protocols and involving lots of staff. Everyone reports back to the monarch.”
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
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