Prince Andrew was ‘a useful idiot’ as Jeffrey Epstein betrayed the disgraced British royal to the highest bidder – We Got This Covered

According to Lownie’s book, Andrew states that he met Epstein in 1999; however, Andrew and his ex, Ferguson, had known Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell for at least a decade by then. Lownie writes, “Epstein played Andrew. The prince was a useful idiot who gave him respectability, access to political leaders, and business opportunities. He found him easy to exploit.”

Meanwhile, Lownie spoke with a source close to Epstein who called Andrew Epstein’s “Super Bowl Trophy,” according to The Guardian.

“He found him easy to exploit”

Lownie credits Canadian journalist Ian Halperin’s 2020 book CONTROVERSY: Sex, Lies and Dirty Money By The World’s Powerful Elite, but says he independently verified the information.

According to The Times, Lownie also confirms several previous claims about Epstein and Andrew’s relationship, namely that Epstein sold Andrew’s secrets to Middle Eastern and Libyan agencies. Meanwhile, Epstein planned to sell Andrew’s secrets to the Israeli Mossad and had Kremlin connections, possibly reaching as high as Vladimir Putin.

A source close to Epstein told Lownie, “Andrew had a weakness for the girls and fast life, Epstein provided that fantasy. Andrew would then give intelligence that Epstein would give to Israel. Andrew didn’t understand that he was being used.”

Andrew and Epstein: a royal scandal

Andrew’s ties to Epstein, a convicted sex offender and high-powered financier who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial, sparked a major royal scandal that forced the Duke of York to step back from public life. Epstein had ties to many prominent men, including Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and Donald Trump.

Andrew maintained a friendship with Epstein for years, even after his conviction, drawing criticism for their meetings and Epstein’s presence at royal events.

The controversy intensified when Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein victim who died by suicide in 2025, accused Andrew of sexually abusing her as a minor trafficked by Epstein, a claim Andrew denied but still settled with Giuffre in 2022 for a reported £12 million, or about $16 million in 2025.

Since the Epstein scandal, Andrew’s relationship with the royal family has been strained and largely distant. After public backlash, Andrew stepped back from royal duties. In 2022, amid the Giuffre civil suit, Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his military titles and royal patronages. He no longer uses the title “His Royal Highness” in any official capacity.

While King Charles III has reportedly allowed him to remain at Royal Lodge, Andrew is excluded from frontline royal roles and public events, as the monarchy distances itself from Andrew and the scandal.