The business empire of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continues to shrink as one of his last remaining companies faces imminent closure, with a voluntary strike-off registered for next Tuesday. This development represents another significant phase in the former Duke of York's retreat from public life following the stripping of his royal titles last October.
The Final Curtain for Pitch@Palace
Pitch@Palace Global Ltd, the commercial arm of Andrew's Dragon's Den-style startup initiative, has applied for dissolution through Companies House. The company's sole remaining director, Arthur Lancaster, submitted the strike-off application, with the registrar set to proceed unless reasonable cause emerges to prevent it. Upon dissolution, any remaining assets will pass to the Crown.
A Troubled Timeline
The business venture, established in 2017, once won plaudits for helping young entrepreneurs, claiming to have built "a strong ecosystem with 1,000+ entrepreneurs from 64 countries globally." However, recent accounts reveal a stark decline, with staff numbers dropping to zero and assets plummeting from £257,286 to just £12,000. The UK branch had already closed by 2021 as controversy swirled around Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
This closure follows a failed acquisition attempt last March when Dutch company Startup Bootcamp expressed interest, admitting they saw "immense value" in the business before negotiations collapsed. The company had previously removed Andrew's former Duke of York title from official registers where he was listed as a "person of significant control."
Royal Fallout and Financial Implications
Buckingham Palace announced in October that Andrew, 65, would have all his royal titles stripped amid growing controversy surrounding his relationship with Epstein. The Palace stated that "censures were deemed necessary" after revelations emerged about Andrew maintaining contact with the financier despite publicly claiming to have severed ties.
Pitch@Palace had been seen as a potential income stream for Andrew after his elder brother, King Charles, ceased financial support. The initiative followed the format of the popular BBC show Dragon's Den, encouraging budding entrepreneurs to pitch ideas to potential investors, with participants competing for funding and the opportunity to reach a final staged at St James's Palace.
Escalating Controversies
The business closure represents just one aspect of Andrew's ongoing difficulties. Recent email revelations published by the Mail on Sunday proved he lied during his 2019 Newsnight interview when claiming he "never had any contact" with Epstein after being photographed together in New York in December 2010. Subsequent emails showed Andrew telling Epstein they were "in this together" just twelve weeks later.
Further damaging revelations emerged about Andrew attempting to involve the Metropolitan Police and one of Queen Elizabeth's most senior aides in a campaign to discredit Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault when she was a teenager. Andrew reportedly passed on her personal details, including date of birth and social security number, which are believed to have been provided by Epstein.
Residential Changes and Family Dynamics
Andrew will now leave Royal Lodge in Windsor, instead taking up residence on the family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk. He is expected to move into a temporary property there in coming weeks, with renovations scheduled for completion around Easter at Marsh Farm, his new permanent home. Any accommodation will be privately funded by King Charles.
Removals vans have been spotted at Royal Lodge as Andrew sorts through decades of belongings. Despite the separation from his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at Royal Lodge, the family remains close, with Andrew recently spotted riding at Windsor Castle accompanied by his daughter Princess Beatrice and her four-year-old daughter Sienna.
The former prince was reportedly urged to remain in London over Christmas to avoid proximity to senior royals during their festive period at Sandringham, highlighting his continued isolation from mainstream royal activities.
Legal Settlements and Ongoing Repercussions
Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre in 2022, though he continues to vehemently deny her allegations that she was forced to have sex with him three times after being trafficked by Epstein. Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, detailed these claims in her posthumous memoir.
As Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor prepares for this latest business closure, the voluntary strike-off of Pitch@Palace Global Ltd symbolizes the continuing unraveling of his public and commercial life, with the former royal now facing a future increasingly removed from the institutions and privileges he once enjoyed.
