Claims suggest informal moments became a pathway to influence royal decisions
Prince Andrew, Duke of York has once again been pulled into controversy, with fresh claims about how he may have used his close relationship with Queen Elizabeth II to his advantage.
According to royal biographer Robert Hardman, Andrew had a particular way of sidestepping palace protocol, especially in the later years of the Queen’s reign. Instead of going through advisers, he would reportedly approach her during informal Sunday tea gatherings at Windsor, when officials were not present and her schedule was more relaxed.
Hardman explained that these private moments gave Andrew an opportunity to challenge decisions that had already been blocked by palace staff. If he was told something could not be done, he would raise the issue again directly with his mother in a more personal setting, where there was less oversight.
An unnamed insider, quoted in reports, described this as more than occasional opportunism. They claimed it reflected a consistent pattern of behaviour, where timing and proximity were used to secure outcomes that might not have been approved through formal channels. The suggestion is that emotional closeness may have, at times, overridden institutional checks within the royal household.
Hardman further noted that advisers typically acted as a barrier, often rejecting proposals with firm responses. But in their absence, Andrew could present his case in a softer, more persuasive way. In such situations, the Queen was said to occasionally agree, only for Andrew to later cite her approval as final authority when dealing with officials.
The claims also tie into a long-standing perception that Andrew was one of the late monarch’s favourite children, a position that may have granted him a level of access others did not share. According to the same insider, this access sometimes caused tension behind the scenes, particularly when it appeared to bypass expected processes.
While these accounts rely heavily on reported sources and retrospective observations, they add another layer to ongoing discussions about Andrew’s role within the royal family and how influence operated behind palace doors.
