Prince Harry has issued a forceful denial of claims made in a new royal biography that he engaged in a physical altercation with his uncle Prince Andrew, leaving the Duke of York with a bloodied nose during a 2013 family gathering.
The Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson dismissed the allegations, contained in Andrew Lownie’s book ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’, stating categorically: “I can confirm neither of those things are true. Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make those comments about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry”.
The claims have prompted such concern that Harry’s legal team has taken the unusual step of sending a legal letter to the Daily Mail, which serialised extracts from the book over the weekend. A spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed: “Such are the gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks made in the Daily Mail’s story, I can confirm a legal letter from Prince Harry’s counsel has been sent to the Mail”.
Explosive Allegations
According to Lownie’s account, a “heated argument” erupted between Harry and Andrew at a family gathering in 2013, triggered by “something Andrew said behind Harry’s back”. The author claims Harry called Andrew a “coward” for not saying it to his face, leading to punches being thrown.
“Harry got the better of Andrew by all accounts, leaving him with a bloody nose before the fight was broken up,” Lownie wrote in extracts published by the Daily Mail.
The book also alleges that Prince Andrew described Meghan Markle as an “opportunist” and told his nephew he was “bonkers” for not properly researching her background. Andrew reportedly predicted the marriage would not last more than a month and described it as Harry’s “biggest mistake ever”.
Lownie claims a source told him: “Harry later told William he hated Andrew”.
Boris Johnson’s Disastrous Lunch
The biography also contains damaging revelations about Prince Andrew’s interactions with political figures, including a disastrous lunch meeting with Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London.
According to Lownie, the Duke of York arrived at the meeting with a list of demands, including advising that Battersea Power Station should be demolished, including its listed towers. When Andrew complained that the Queen Elizabeth II Centre was too small and not fit for purpose, Johnson reportedly retorted: “Well, if it’s too small, it’s your mum’s fault.
Following the encounter, Lownie quotes Johnson as saying: “I’m the last person to be a republican but, f**k, if I ever have to spend another lunch like that, I soon will be”.
Johnson served as Mayor of London between 2008 and 2016, before becoming Prime Minister from July 2019 to September 2022.
Author’s Credentials
Andrew Lownie is an established royal biographer and literary agent with a track record of bestselling books on the Royal Family. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he served as President of the Union, before taking his master’s degree and doctorate at Edinburgh University.
His previous works include the prize-winning ‘Stalin’s Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess’ (2015) and the Sunday Times top ten bestsellers ‘The Mountbattens: Their Lives and Loves’ (2019) and ‘Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’ (2021).
The new book, based on four years of research, numerous Freedom of Information requests and interviews with over a hundred people who have never spoken before, is described as the first joint biography of Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Pattern of Royal Rifts
The denial comes as Prince Harry faces continued scrutiny over his fractured relationships within the Royal Family. In his own memoir ‘Spare’, Harry detailed a physical confrontation with his brother Prince William in 2019, claiming William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and… knocked me to the floor”.
However, this marks the first time Harry has been accused of violence against another royal family member, prompting his swift and comprehensive denial.
Royal insiders have suggested Harry has been making overtures to ease tensions with his estranged family, with reports he plans to invite them to the 2027 Invictus Games. The latest allegations threaten to complicate any potential reconciliation efforts.
Andrew’s Troubled Legacy
Prince Andrew, who stepped back from public duties in 2019 amid controversy over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, emerges from Lownie’s biography as a deeply controversial figure.
The book portrays Andrew as “sex-obsessed and boorish”, with journalist Petronella Wyatt quoted as saying he reminded her of Princess Margaret, “who thought she was more royal than the Queen”.
Lownie’s book also claims to reveal new details about Andrew’s links with Epstein, suggesting they “began earlier, continued longer and were much more frequent than reported”.
Legal Action
The decision to send a legal letter to the Daily Mail represents a significant escalation in Harry’s response to what he considers false allegations. While royals rarely take legal action over biographical claims, Harry and Meghan have shown a willingness to use the courts to defend their reputation.
The spokesperson’s statement emphasising the “gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks” suggests the Sussexes view these particular allegations as crossing a line that requires formal legal intervention.
As the controversy continues to unfold, the incident highlights the ongoing tensions within the Royal Family and the challenges faced by biographers attempting to document the private lives of the monarchy’s most controversial members.
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