Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reportedly feels “abandoned” by his family as his royal exile deepens.
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that friends are reportedly checking in regularly on the former Duke of York and “he’s certainly not hiding away” from them.
“Rather than spending the summer at Balmoral hidden away with the rest of the family, Andrew seems to be opting for time abroad with friends,” she said. “Allegedly, he feels abandoned by certain family members.”
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British royal expert Hilary Fordwich echoed Chard’s sentiments, citing her sources.
“Andrew isn’t important anymore,” said Fordwich. “No one is very concerned about how he’s feeling. However, it’s important to ensure he doesn’t cause any more damage to the monarchy.”
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A friend of the ex-royal’s told The Sun that “Andrew feels he’s been abandoned” and “he feels like he is no longer part of the family.”
“He was invited but has got no great desire to be at Balmoral as he has nothing to gain and would be treated as an outcast,” the unnamed friend told the outlet. “What’s the point, he feels, of going all the way there for a much-needed holiday and being treated as an elephant in the room?”
Andrew stepped away from royal duties in 2019 following a widely criticized BBC “Newsnight” interview in which he attempted to explain his friendship with the .
In 2022, he was stripped of his military titles and patronages by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, as he faced Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit against him. Andrew and Giuffre settled out of court for an undisclosed sum that year.
Giuffre died in April 2025.
In October 2025, King Charles III stripped his younger brother’s royal titles as Andrew faced renewed scrutiny over his ties to Epstein. The scrutiny intensified following the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir and the release of documents detailing Andrew’s relationship with Epstein.
Buckingham Palace also served Andrew formal notice to surrender the lease on his longtime residence, Royal Lodge. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was expected to make separate living arrangements.
On Feb. 19, on suspicion of misconduct in public office over an allegation that he shared confidential information with Epstein during his time as a U.K. trade envoy. He was released after being held for 11 hours in police custody. The investigation remains ongoing.
Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and the allegations against him.
“Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor obviously is feeling the contempt and distancing from other senior members of the royal family,” royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.
“So his mental health will become more prevalent. Some of his favorite activities, like riding and shooting, may have been curtailed. The ongoing police investigation is a continuous worry for him. And still, his soulmate and former wife is being distant.”
“Andrew is confined to a lonely existence,” Turner continued. “Allegedly, he watches a TV channel which shows planes landing as one of his new methods of relaxation.”
Andrew’s friend told The Sun that the disgraced ex-duke r
