‘Nobody is above the law': Royal author Andrew Lownie reveals explosive new Prince Andrew claims
The veteran royal biographer is the author of the new book 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York', a warts-and-all account of the Yorks' marriage and three decade partnership.
The bombshell book includes embarrassing revelations about the Duke of York's sex life, as well as unprecedented new information about his business dealings while working as a British trade envoy.
Meanwhile, the Duke of York's ex-wife and current housemate Fergie is painted as not only financially reckless, but so dangerous to the monarchy that the royal family keep her in the fold to protect themselves.
In an exclusive interview with the Sky News Australia digital series Power Hour, Mr Lownie opened up about the bizarre symbiotic relationship between Epstein and the Duke of York.
Their friendship, which ended in Prince Andrew's public downfall, was equally transactional for both parties.
'Andrew was a useful piece of respectability for Epstein,' he told host Gabriella Power.
'Epstein provided useful contacts, someone who paid off debts for the couple and supplied women to Andrew.'
Andrew's ability to provide 'respectability' and connections for shadowy businessmen was a tool the Duke of York has exploited throughout his public life.
From 2001 until July 2011, Andrew worked as the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.
The role saw the bombastic Duke serve as roving ambassador for British trade around the globe, and Lownie alleges it was in this role that Andrew benefitted financially on the side.
According to Mr Lownie, Buckingham Palace were well-aware of Andrew's links to possibly dodgy business figures but ignored the Duke's reckless and brazen behaviour.
'MPs twenty years ago were asking our national crime agency to investigate him, nothing was done,' he said.
'I think (the book) is very damaging to Andrew and indeed to the monarchy who was very much aware what was going on and colluded with him.'
Ironically, diplomats also complained that instead of helping British trade, Andrew was a liability on important trade trips.
Mr Lownie called on King Charles to cut off his rogue brother once and for all to restore public trust in the monarchy's integrity.
'There's not sufficient transparency about royal finances, and royal activity full stop,' he said.
'We're prepared to support our royal family but not if they're on the take themselves.
'I think they need to look carefully and cut him loose.
'Nobody is above the law, including members of the royal family.'
'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York' will be published by HarperCollins on 14 August 2025.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Inside Erin Patterson's family life a decade before her notorious mushroom murders
A decade before Erin Patterson became Australia's infamous mushroom murderer, she and her husband Simon were like many young families delicately trying to balance the demands of life and parenthood. At the time, the couple were living and working in Western Australia while raising their then four-year-old son. But in 2013, after spending about six years in the country's west, the family decided to relocate back to their home state of Victoria. Rather than flying between the states, the family drove 1350km along a corrugated sandy track through the red Australian desert as they made their way back east. Now, photos of the trip of a lifetime have surfaced — offering a glimpse into the Patterson family's life before their world would be irreparably fractured just 10 years later by her wicked crimes. The images taken by Simon, an amateur photographer, were shared at the time in a post on a blogging website where he detailed the family's 'Australian Outback Adventure' along the Anne Beadell Hwy, which runs horizontally through Western and South Australia. The pictures show their campsite set up under a starry night sky, the couple's son playing cricket, a camel and plane wreckage they encountered along the way, and shots of the stunning, orange, rugged terrain. 'One of the greatest feelings in the world is camping under the stars in the Australian outback,' he wrote. 'There is nothing like the peace and tranquility, hundreds of miles from civilisation. It's a real privilege to safely pitch a tent with one's family and enjoy a simple campfire meal in the crisp, clear air. 'The view of the Milky Way above is breathtaking and mesmerising, inviting travellers to stare upwards for hours on end.' At the time of the trip, Patterson was 38-years-old and pregnant with the couple's second child. Simon said the family's household possessions followed behind them, transported in containers by rail, as they made the cross-country journey in their 4WD. While the most common west-to-east route across southern part of Australia is the bitumen-sealed Eyre Hwy, Simon said the family had previously crossed the Nullabor Plain via that road and wanted to try a 'more remote' course. The Anne Beadell Hwy runs through the Great Victoria Desert, which was a site for British atomic bomb tests in the 1950s. Simon said they chose campsites 'far' from the bomb test sites, heeding warnings to travellers to avoid spending too much time in areas with possible nuclear radiation exposure. Along their journey, the family came across many camels — introduced in the 1800s from the Middle East and now considered a pest in the Australian outback — as well as the wreckage of a plane carrying census forms that had crashed several years earlier. During their five-day journey, they grappled with no mobile phone coverage, only saw 10 other parties, and relied mostly on resources they had brought with them, topping up their fuel and basic supplies at a small general store roughly mid-way along the route. Simon said their son managed the trip 'very well' as long as he played cricket with him one or twice every day. At her jury trial earlier this year, Patterson told the court she and Simon married in 2007 while living in Melbourne, then packed up their belongings to travel, before finally settling in Western Australia where their son was born in 2009. During their time there, Patterson opened a second-hand bookstore in the small rural town of Pemberton, in the state's southwest, while her husband worked at the local council. 'I spent months travelling around Western Australia collecting books to sell there. I went to a lot of book fairs and libraries and estates selling their old stocks,' Patterson told the jury as she gave evidence on the stand. 'I painted the inside and I bought about 30 or 35 book shelves from IKEA and I got things like the internet and phone set up.' Patterson also told the jury they decided to move back to Victoria due to a number of factors, including her son being extroverted and she had just fallen pregnant and they wanted to be closer to Simon's parents, Don and Gail Patterson. 'We packed up our home in 2013 and it took a few months to come back,' she said. 'We first went to New Zealand for a few weeks and when we got back we stayed with Don and Gail for a good six weeks. 'It was cramped — in that all three of us were in one room, but it didn't matter because Don and Gail were so welcoming. It was a really good experience.' Patterson and Simon permanently separated in 2015, the year after returning to Victoria, after experiencing bouts of splitting and reconciling from as early as 2009. Last month, Patterson, 50, was found guilty of murdering Don, Gail, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson after serving up death cap mushroom-laced beef wellingtons at a family lunch at her Leongatha home, in Victoria's Gippsland, on 29 July 2023. She was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson, who attended the lunch but survived. She will be sentenced later this year.


The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Ford: "Regulators got out ahead of customers" in EV transition
Ford says the move to electric vehicles (EVs) must be customer-driven, not pushed by regulators, as the automaker rolls out more EVs despite billions in losses. Speaking to British publication Autocar, Bill Ford – executive chairman of the automaker – said the move to EVs is important but there are lessons in what had not gone so well for the auto industry so far. "What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers," Mr Ford told Autocar. "That's never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won't be the only part. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "The ICE [internal combustion engine] business will be gradually phased out, but it won't disappear. What happens will vary according to region." Ford's electric division – named 'Model e' as a nod to its pioneering mass production of the Model T early last century – this week announced a Ford Ranger-sized electric pickup scheduled to go on sale in 2027. It will use a new affordable dedicated electric platform set to underpin a family of vehicles, and is expected to start at $US30,000 ($A45,800) – less than the starting price of a Ranger in the US, which is $US33,350 ($A50,900). The unnamed EV pickup has not been confirmed for Ford Australia showrooms, but the local arm has a direct link to Model e as it's run by previous Ford Australia president, Kay Hart. The push comes after Model e posted losses of US$5.1 billion in 2024 alone, and paused production of the F-150 Lightning EV and delayed its replacement until 2028. Ford also scrapped plans for a three-row EV SUV, instead investing in more short-term profitable F-Series Super Duty production. Locally, Ford Australia cancelled plans to introduce the electric Puma Gen-E SUV before dropping the Puma from its lineup entirely in 2024, while Mustang Mach-E electric SUV sales have slowed further despite significant price cuts. However, the company is adding the E-Transit Custom to join the E-Transit – as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Transit Custom and Ranger – in local showrooms. "At Ford, we've invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that," Mr Ford said. "But it's down to customers. They want what they want, and it's our job to give it to them." MORE: Ford pivots to 'super affordable EVs', delays larger models MORE: Ford says large electric SUVs just don't work MORE:Ford Ranger-sized ute to debut Blue Oval's new affordable EV platform Content originally sourced from: Ford says the move to electric vehicles (EVs) must be customer-driven, not pushed by regulators, as the automaker rolls out more EVs despite billions in losses. Speaking to British publication Autocar, Bill Ford – executive chairman of the automaker – said the move to EVs is important but there are lessons in what had not gone so well for the auto industry so far. "What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers," Mr Ford told Autocar. "That's never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won't be the only part. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "The ICE [internal combustion engine] business will be gradually phased out, but it won't disappear. What happens will vary according to region." Ford's electric division – named 'Model e' as a nod to its pioneering mass production of the Model T early last century – this week announced a Ford Ranger-sized electric pickup scheduled to go on sale in 2027. It will use a new affordable dedicated electric platform set to underpin a family of vehicles, and is expected to start at $US30,000 ($A45,800) – less than the starting price of a Ranger in the US, which is $US33,350 ($A50,900). The unnamed EV pickup has not been confirmed for Ford Australia showrooms, but the local arm has a direct link to Model e as it's run by previous Ford Australia president, Kay Hart. The push comes after Model e posted losses of US$5.1 billion in 2024 alone, and paused production of the F-150 Lightning EV and delayed its replacement until 2028. Ford also scrapped plans for a three-row EV SUV, instead investing in more short-term profitable F-Series Super Duty production. Locally, Ford Australia cancelled plans to introduce the electric Puma Gen-E SUV before dropping the Puma from its lineup entirely in 2024, while Mustang Mach-E electric SUV sales have slowed further despite significant price cuts. However, the company is adding the E-Transit Custom to join the E-Transit – as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Transit Custom and Ranger – in local showrooms. "At Ford, we've invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that," Mr Ford said. "But it's down to customers. They want what they want, and it's our job to give it to them." MORE: Ford pivots to 'super affordable EVs', delays larger models MORE: Ford says large electric SUVs just don't work MORE:Ford Ranger-sized ute to debut Blue Oval's new affordable EV platform Content originally sourced from: Ford says the move to electric vehicles (EVs) must be customer-driven, not pushed by regulators, as the automaker rolls out more EVs despite billions in losses. Speaking to British publication Autocar, Bill Ford – executive chairman of the automaker – said the move to EVs is important but there are lessons in what had not gone so well for the auto industry so far. "What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers," Mr Ford told Autocar. "That's never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won't be the only part. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "The ICE [internal combustion engine] business will be gradually phased out, but it won't disappear. What happens will vary according to region." Ford's electric division – named 'Model e' as a nod to its pioneering mass production of the Model T early last century – this week announced a Ford Ranger-sized electric pickup scheduled to go on sale in 2027. It will use a new affordable dedicated electric platform set to underpin a family of vehicles, and is expected to start at $US30,000 ($A45,800) – less than the starting price of a Ranger in the US, which is $US33,350 ($A50,900). The unnamed EV pickup has not been confirmed for Ford Australia showrooms, but the local arm has a direct link to Model e as it's run by previous Ford Australia president, Kay Hart. The push comes after Model e posted losses of US$5.1 billion in 2024 alone, and paused production of the F-150 Lightning EV and delayed its replacement until 2028. Ford also scrapped plans for a three-row EV SUV, instead investing in more short-term profitable F-Series Super Duty production. Locally, Ford Australia cancelled plans to introduce the electric Puma Gen-E SUV before dropping the Puma from its lineup entirely in 2024, while Mustang Mach-E electric SUV sales have slowed further despite significant price cuts. However, the company is adding the E-Transit Custom to join the E-Transit – as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Transit Custom and Ranger – in local showrooms. "At Ford, we've invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that," Mr Ford said. "But it's down to customers. They want what they want, and it's our job to give it to them." MORE: Ford pivots to 'super affordable EVs', delays larger models MORE: Ford says large electric SUVs just don't work MORE:Ford Ranger-sized ute to debut Blue Oval's new affordable EV platform Content originally sourced from: Ford says the move to electric vehicles (EVs) must be customer-driven, not pushed by regulators, as the automaker rolls out more EVs despite billions in losses. Speaking to British publication Autocar, Bill Ford – executive chairman of the automaker – said the move to EVs is important but there are lessons in what had not gone so well for the auto industry so far. "What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers," Mr Ford told Autocar. "That's never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won't be the only part. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "The ICE [internal combustion engine] business will be gradually phased out, but it won't disappear. What happens will vary according to region." Ford's electric division – named 'Model e' as a nod to its pioneering mass production of the Model T early last century – this week announced a Ford Ranger-sized electric pickup scheduled to go on sale in 2027. It will use a new affordable dedicated electric platform set to underpin a family of vehicles, and is expected to start at $US30,000 ($A45,800) – less than the starting price of a Ranger in the US, which is $US33,350 ($A50,900). The unnamed EV pickup has not been confirmed for Ford Australia showrooms, but the local arm has a direct link to Model e as it's run by previous Ford Australia president, Kay Hart. The push comes after Model e posted losses of US$5.1 billion in 2024 alone, and paused production of the F-150 Lightning EV and delayed its replacement until 2028. Ford also scrapped plans for a three-row EV SUV, instead investing in more short-term profitable F-Series Super Duty production. Locally, Ford Australia cancelled plans to introduce the electric Puma Gen-E SUV before dropping the Puma from its lineup entirely in 2024, while Mustang Mach-E electric SUV sales have slowed further despite significant price cuts. However, the company is adding the E-Transit Custom to join the E-Transit – as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Transit Custom and Ranger – in local showrooms. "At Ford, we've invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that," Mr Ford said. "But it's down to customers. They want what they want, and it's our job to give it to them." MORE: Ford pivots to 'super affordable EVs', delays larger models MORE: Ford says large electric SUVs just don't work MORE:Ford Ranger-sized ute to debut Blue Oval's new affordable EV platform Content originally sourced from:


7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Ford: "Regulators got out ahead of customers" in EV transition
Ford says the move to electric vehicles (EVs) must be customer-driven, not pushed by regulators, as the automaker rolls out more EVs despite billions in losses. Speaking to British publication Autocar, Bill Ford – executive chairman of the automaker – said the move to EVs is important but there are lessons in what had not gone so well for the auto industry so far. 'What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers,' Mr Ford told Autocar. 'That's never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won't be the only part. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. 'The ICE [internal combustion engine] business will be gradually phased out, but it won't disappear. What happens will vary according to region.' Ford's electric division – named 'Model e' as a nod to its pioneering mass production of the Model T early last century – this week announced a Ford Ranger-sized electric pickup scheduled to go on sale in 2027. It will use a new affordable dedicated electric platform set to underpin a family of vehicles, and is expected to start at $US30,000 ($A45,800) – less than the starting price of a Ranger in the US, which is $US33,350 ($A50,900). The unnamed EV pickup has not been confirmed for Ford Australia showrooms, but the local arm has a direct link to Model e as it's run by previous Ford Australia president, Kay Hart. The push comes after Model e posted losses of US$5.1 billion in 2024 alone, and paused production of the F-150 Lightning EV and delayed its replacement until 2028. Ford also scrapped plans for a three-row EV SUV, instead investing in more short-term profitable F-Series Super Duty production. Locally, Ford Australia cancelled plans to introduce the electric Puma Gen-E SUV before dropping the Puma from its lineup entirely in 2024, while Mustang Mach-E electric SUV sales have slowed further despite significant price cuts. However, the company is adding the E-Transit Custom to join the E-Transit – as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Transit Custom and Ranger – in local showrooms. 'At Ford, we've invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that,' Mr Ford said. 'But it's down to customers. They want what they want, and it's our job to give it to them.'