The former Prince Andrew built a playboy image through numerous romantic liaisons before marrying Sarah Ferguson.
After their divorce, the ex-prince allegedly returned to his bachelor ways, even turning up at rock star Courtney Love’s residence to “look for chicks.”
In “Prince Andrew: The War Hero from Buckingham Palace” by Jessica Jayne, the author outlines how Andrew was preferred over his brother, Prince Charles, by both the Queen and Prince Philip.
She claims: “Andrew was the son that Philip really wanted. The Duke wanted a tough boy, not a sensitive one like Charles.
“Andrew inherited his father’s charm and looks as well as the Mountbatten arrogance. He was the only one who could shake his father out of one of his famous sulks.”
The book, released in 2012, indicates that over time, it became clear that Andrew, the spare to the heir, had become the Queen’s favourite.
Jessica Jayne explains, “His early life as a playboy was hurting the image of the royal family, further worsened by the fact that the prince didn’t perform engagements as much as his family wanted him to.”
She continues, “And during the week that Andrew stayed with the Queen and Prince Philip at Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh, the irate Philip gave his son a dressing-down for being ‘lazy and selfish.'” That week, shortly after his departure from the navy, Andrew paid a visit to St Andrew’s Church in Clermiston, Edinburgh.
The following day, he travelled to Hampshire, where his schedule included visits to a church, a hospital and a school, as well as opening an exhibition dedicated to the Royal Navy.
Ms Jayne claims: “These weren’t sufficiently enough for his father, who found out that Andrew had spent the rest of the week golfing on the nearby Bruntsfield Links.”
The biography states: “Philip was infuriated and gave his second son a tongue-lashing, in the presence of the Queen, that the servants heard.”
The author claims: “They recalled that Philip asked Andrew how many engagements he did that week, and the elderly prince continued ranting, telling his son that he should sort himself out and stop lounging.”
Ms Jayne reveals, “Andrew was visibly shaken.”
The book indicates that the royal family harboured serious concerns and expected improvement from him, particularly given his newly assumed role as representative of British Trade International, an unpaid position he took up in September 2001 and resigned from in 2011.
More recently, the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor made headlines around the world. Andrew was apprehended on suspicion of misconduct in public office due to his connections with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
He stands accused of divulging sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as the UK’s trade envoy. Thames Valley Police arrested him early on the morning of Thursday, February 19 (his 66th birthday) in Sandringham.
He was detained for approximately 11 hours before being released under investigation.