Biographer Says Queen Elizabeth Got This "Wrong"

Prince Andrew and Queen Elizabeth in a carriage — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has long been considered Queen Elizabeth’s favorite child, but in a new interview, royal biographer Robert Hardman has lifted the lid on why the late monarch paid so much attention to her second son. Speaking on the Daily Mail’s “Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things” podcast, Hardman said that Queen Elizabeth saw Andrew as “vulnerable” compared to King Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

“He was not as bright as the others, he could be boorish and everyone knew that,” Hardman said of the former Duke of York. Queen Elizabeth, however, tended to give Andrew the benefit of the doubt. Despite Andrew's numerous scandals involving Jeffrey Epstein, the late Queen never formally removed his Duke of York or prince titles, a move King Charles made in October 2025.

Hardman, whose new biography of Queen Elizabeth releases April 9 in the U.K. and May 19 in the United States, said he feels the late Queen could have done more when it came to keeping Andrew in line.

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Queen Elizabeth wearing an ivory coat and hat standing next to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in a red military uniform, and other members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace — Queen Elizabeth and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are pictured at Trooping the Colour 2019.

Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. Her Story.

“As we approach the 100th birthday of Elizabeth II, that's obviously there on the relatively short list of things she got wrong,” Hardman said, although he added, “I think she got a lot more right.”

Hardman revealed that former Prime Minister David Cameron told him stories about Andrew, sharing, “David Cameron said to me when I was writing the book, all the other members of the family knew the boundaries, they knew what they were supposed to do and what they shouldn't.”

Andrew, however, had an innate sense of entitlement. Hardman shared one incident about the former Duke of York on the Daily Mail's podcast, “There was this appalling moment where he actually punched the Master of the Royal Household,” the royal biographer revealed.

Queen Elizabeth wearing a pale blue coat and hat talking to Prince Andrew on a balcony — Queen Elizabeth speaks with former Prince Andrew in 2013.

The former duke got upset because Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, who still serves as Master of the Royal Household today, told him that a room he requested for an event was totally booked. “This ends with Andrew actually hitting the Master of the Royal Household,” Hardman said, adding that news of the incident was “raised up the chain of command” all the way to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

“When the Queen hears about it, she's not remotely surprised,” Hardman said. “I think we can understand where the Queen's sympathy lay because not long afterwards, the Master got a knighthood.”

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.