Royal Experts Reflect on "Abandoned and Embittered" Ex-Prince Andrew and the Most "Tragic Element" of Former Royal's Life as a "Couch Potato"

"He cuts an unmis­tak­ably glum fig­ure."

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Prince Andrew has gray hair and looks pensive while wearing a suit
(Image credit: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

In October 2025, King Charles demoted his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, followed renewed interest in the former prince's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Since then, the ex-Duke of York has agreed to move out of his home, Royal Lodge, and stop using all of his royal titles. According to several royal experts, "couch potato" Andrew feels "abandoned and embittered" after the saga.

During an appearance on "Royal Confidential," royal editor for the Sun, Matt Wilkinson, said of Andrew (via the Express), "It also makes me wonder what he's actually doing. We only ever see him horse-riding. There was a long article in the Telegraph this week...asking what he actually does. I think she described him as a bit of a couch potato, sitting at Royal Lodge watching television."

Wilkinson continued, "I think he used to watch flights, tracking them on flight radar. What does he do now if he can't go shooting?" The former Duke of York gave up his gun license in November, per the BBC.

Prince Andrew wearing a gray coat

"I think he used to watch flights, tracking them on flight radar."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The royal correspondent for Five News, Simon Vigar, concurred, saying, "There is obviously an element of tragedy. I don't expect people to feel sympathetic for him, but there is a tragic element to this." The correspondent continued, "In happier days, he was known as the Duke of Golf. I'm not sure how many golf clubs he's a member of anymore. But it's a lot of time to fill."

A report in the Telegraph seemingly confirmed the former Duke of York's fate. "Andrew now spends his days rid­ing, shoot­ing, golf­ing, or watch­ing tele­vi­sion," the publication explained. "He does not drink or smoke and is never seen out to din­ner. His days of fre­quent­ing Lon­don clubs are long behind him and no-one men­tions Pizza Express."

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew walking in front of trees

"She described him as a bit of a couch potato, sitting at Royal Lodge watching television."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, a source told the outlet, "He does watch a lot of TV—he's always done that...He's always been a bit of a couch potato." While other members of the Royal Family have attended group events this holiday season, Andrew reportedly "cut an unmis­tak­ably glum fig­ure," per the Telegraph.

One royal biographer told the outlet that Andrew feels "aban­doned and embittered." A source even said that "nobody vis­its him any­more." Since relinquishing his royal status, Andrew's life is allegedly looking quite different.

Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.