Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly 'very keen' for Prince Andrew to become a UK trade envoy in 2001, a role she believed would provide structure and purpose for her second son. However, the decision has since been described as a grave mistake, with no evidence of formal security vetting for the position, according to a minister.
Royal commentators suggest the late monarch was 'blinkered' when it came to Andrew, rumoured to be her favourite son. Having spent more time with him during his infancy than with Charles or Anne, she may have formed a closer maternal bond. Biographer Robert Hardman noted Andrew was 'not as bright as the others' and could be 'boorish', with his mother viewing him as 'vulnerable' and shielding him.
Her support continued publicly after Andrew's disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Two days later, she rode with him at Windsor Castle, a gesture interpreted as tacit support. Even after he stepped down as a working royal, he remained invited to family events, and she reportedly contributed to his 2022 settlement with Virginia Giuffre.
It ultimately fell to King Charles III to strip Andrew of his peerage, prince's title, and HRH style, ending the role his mother had so keenly supported.
