The Epstein scandal has eclipsed the monarchy’s charity work and tarnished the name of the royal family on a global stage, making 2025 “the year they want to forget.”
Their disastrous year is dominated by Andrew, whose disgrace, while he continues to deny all allegations, is “the overarching story of the year.”
Royal commentators Simon Viger and Ailsa Anderson told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show that Andy’s role in the Epstein case has topped the list of royal scandals.
Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson was joined to discuss the various royal controversies over the years, from Megxit to the death of Princess Diana.
The commentators agreed that no scandal comes close to Andrew’s involvement with Epstein.
Anderson observed: “I think it’s number one. I think it’s got the top billing because this story has been here for 15 years.”
Viger agreed, saying: “The allegations around Epstein are so disgraceful.
“Obviously, Andrew denies that he was involved in that, but the whole thing is so toxic.
“The payoff of millions of pounds to a woman he says he’s never met, and it’s dragged on for so long.”
He added: “It’s an existential threat to the monarchy, when you have something that disgraceful so close to the crown.”
The Royals had a “devastating” year according to Anderson, the former Press Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II.
The former Duke’s shameful correspondence with the former financier “shows clearly his total lack of judgement,” she said.
The Sun on Sunday revealed he had emailed his paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein several months after he claimed he had cut off contact.
The royal experts said Andy had “been caught out in a lie on a global scale.”
At the start of the year, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was a Prince.
He was living in Royal Lodge, held the title Duke of York, and carried senior honours including Vice Admiral and the Order of the Garter.
As we enter 2026, he has been stripped of them all in a move that “nobody ever thought was possible,” according to royal experts.
Insiders say he valued those roles deeply, noting: “All of those honours that some people think are ridiculous.
“But Andrew certainly didn’t think they were ridiculous. They meant a great deal to him.”
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun the removal of Andrew’s honorary rank was “a giant blow.”
She told The Sun: “It is a huge blow because he thinks of himself as an Armed Forces man.
“He served very bravely in the Falklands. I think the service, being in the Navy, has been the most stable thing in his life.”
Andrew is due to be booted out his Royal Lodge home in the new year – and is reportedly eyeing up the empty ramshackle Marsh Farm, seven miles from the King’s Sandringham House.
Buckingham Palace is refusing to discuss shamed Andy’s new home which will be privately funded by his brother the King and instead cited data protection laws.
The palace said they will not be providing the name of his new home because the King’s brother is a “private citizen” and Sandringham is a “private estate”.
