Prince AndrewA neutral reference on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (b. 1960), formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York: naval service, public roles, and the documented public record.
Portrait photograph of HRH The Duke of York
HRH The Duke of York (portrait photograph). Real photograph via Wikimedia Commons. All quotations on this page are verbatim and cited.

In His Own Words — Verified Statements

This page is deliberately short. Andrew is not a figure of famous sayings; he is a figure of a few heavily scrutinized public statements. Each entry below is quoted verbatim from a published source. Nothing here is paraphrased as quotation, and nothing unverified is included.

“I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”

“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support. Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission. I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.” Source: Statement issued by Buckingham Palace, 20 November 2019 — four days after the Newsnight broadcast. Reported verbatim by the BBC and others.

The sentence that ended his working royal life. Note what it does and does not do: it expresses regret for the association, sympathy for victims, and willingness to assist law enforcement — it makes no admission about the allegations against him personally.

“I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”

Asked about Virginia Giuffre’s account of their alleged encounters, Andrew told Emily Maitlis: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.” Source: BBC Newsnight, “Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal,” broadcast 16 November 2019 (recorded 14 November at Buckingham Palace).

The flat denial at the center of the interview. He paired it with a specific alibi for the alleged London date of 10 March 2001: that he had been at home with his daughters after taking Beatrice to a party at a PizzaExpress in Woking. The interview’s other widely quoted claims — that a Falklands-era “overdose of adrenaline” had left him unable to sweat, and that the December 2010 New York visit was to end the Epstein friendship in person because it was “the honourable thing to do” — are reported on The Newsnight Interview, where each is checked against what is verifiable.

“Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors.”

“Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement. The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed). Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks. It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.” Source: Joint statement filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 15 February 2022, via the parties’ letter to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.

The joint statement is precise legal language: a settlement, a donation, and expressions of regret — with no admission of liability, and the sum undisclosed. Press estimates of the figure (around £12 million was widely reported) were never confirmed and are not stated here as fact.

“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”

“His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.” Source: Buckingham Palace statement, 30 October 2025.

Note the statement’s own framing: the censures proceed while recording his continued denial. Two weeks earlier, on 17 October 2025, Andrew had issued his own statement saying he would no longer use the Duke of York title or his honours — the palace’s formal process then made it legal fact via letters patent on 3 November.

“The law must take its course.”

Following Andrew’s arrest on 19 February 2026, King Charles III issued a statement expressing his “deepest concern” and saying that “the law must take its course.” Source: Statement from King Charles III via Buckingham Palace, 19 February 2026, as reported by the BBC and wire services.

Six words that marked the palace’s final posture: no defense, no condemnation — the matter handed entirely to the police and courts. Andrew was released under investigation the same day; he denies wrongdoing and no charges have been filed.

“We have managed to work together to bring our children up in a way that few others have been able to.”

“We have managed to work together to bring our children up in a way that few others have been able to and I am extremely grateful to be able to do that.” Source: Andrew speaking about his former wife Sarah Ferguson, in a 2008 interview, as reported at the time.

Included because it is one of the very few on-the-record personal statements from before the Epstein story consumed his public image — and because the co-parenting relationship it describes demonstrably endured: the former couple shared Royal Lodge for nearly two decades after their divorce.

What is not here

This site excludes: tabloid-reported “quotes” with no primary source; the many paraphrases of the Newsnight interview that circulate as verbatim lines; and anything from the 2025–26 memoir and file-release coverage that is reported speech rather than a published statement. If a line cannot be traced to a broadcast, a filed document, or an issued statement, it does not appear.

Source notes