Andrew left ‘visibly shaken’ in ‘dressing down’ by senior royal | Royal | News

Former Prince Andrew had cultivated a playboy image thanks to his numerous romantic relationships before marrying Sarah Ferguson.

Following their divorce, the former prince allegedly returned to being a bachelor, even going to rock star Courtney Love’s house to “look for a chick”.

In the book “Prince Andrew: War Hero from Buckingham Palace” by Jessica Jayne, the author describes how Andrew was preferred to his brother Prince Charles by both the Queen and Prince Philip.

He claims: “Andrew was the son Philip really wanted. The Duke wanted a tough boy, not a sensitive one like Charles.”

“Andrew inherited his father’s charm and good looks, as well as Mountbatten’s arrogance. He was the only one who could snap his father out of one of his famous sulks.”

The book, published in 2012, shows that over time it became clear that Andrew, the heir’s understudy, had become the Queen’s favourite.

Jessica Jayne explains: “His early life as a playboy was damaging to the royal family’s image, made worse by the fact that the prince did not honor his engagements as much as his family wanted.”

It continues, “And during Andrew’s week with the Queen and Prince Philip at Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh, a furious Philip berated his son for being ‘lazy and selfish’.” That week, shortly after leaving the navy, Andrew visited St Andrew’s Church in Clermiston, Edinburgh.

The next day he went to Hampshire; The program included visits to churches, hospitals and schools, as well as the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the Royal Navy.

Miss Jayne claims: “These were not enough for his father, who discovered Andrew had spent the rest of the week playing golf at nearby Bruntsfield Links.”

The biography reads: “Philip became infuriated and stuck out his tongue at his second son in the Queen’s presence, which the servants heard.”

“They remembered Philip asking Andrew how many times he had been engaged that week,” the author claims, “and the old prince continuing to yell at his son that he needed to pull himself together and stop lying down.”

“Andrew was visibly shaken,” Ms Jayne said.

The book shows that the royal family had serious concerns and expected improvement from him, especially given his newly-assumed position as representative of British Trade International, an unpaid position he took up in September 2001 and resigned in 2011.

The recent arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor made headlines around the world. Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office due to his links to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

He is accused of disclosing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as Britain’s trade envoy. Thames Valley Police arrested him at Sandringham on the morning of Thursday 19 February (his 66th birthday).

He was detained for approximately 11 hours before being released as part of the investigation.