Former Prince Andrew accused of bullying Queen Elizabeth

Speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival, Lownie outlined claims about the late queen’s condition and Andrew’s behavior during her final years before she died in 2022 at the age of 96.

The allegations come amid the ongoing fallout from Andrew’s association with pedophile Epstein, which led to his dismissal from royal duties and the stripping of his honorary titles by his brother King Charles III, 77.

A royal insider told us: ‘The suggestion that Andrew Windsor bullied his loving mother in her final years will be deeply disturbing to many who followed the late Queen’s reign.

“Claims that he exploited her completely ‘gaga’ mental state, as Lownie puts it, are particularly grim and will inevitably spark a new debate about what really happened behind the palace doors.”

A palace source added: “Even when accusations are used, the language used here is explosive and underlines how controversial Andrew’s position has become within the wider narrative of the monarchy.”

Lownie wrote in his book: ‘What people don’t realize at the end of (Queen Elizabeth’s) life is that she was completely mad. (Andrew) went there and he bullied her into doing things. So for the last few years of her life, (King) Charles was actually running the show, rather than the Queen.”

He added: ‘I’m afraid she has facilitated this. The whole family encouraged this – they knew about it.”

The author argued that the Queen’s affection for Andrew – widely regarded as her favorite son – may have contributed to her willingness to support him despite mounting controversy.

Lownie suggests that this dynamic had an impact on the way decisions were made within the royal family during her final years.