A war of words erupted Saturday over shocking claims that Prince Harry punched Prince Andrew so hard he left him with a bloody nose and that Andrew called Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, an “opportunist.”
The allegations were made in an explosive new book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, by the highly respected writer and historian Andrew Lownie.
Several hours after first issuing a “no comment” response to The Daily Beast in connection with the allegations, the Sussex machine swung into action and denied the claims.
“I can confirm 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,” a spokesperson for Harry said in a statement to the Daily Beast.
Lownie told The Daily Beast he stood by the story, saying he had rechecked and reconfirmed it with his source.
“I stand by my source, who has proved reliable and was close to Andrew. They had no reason to make this up and gave me lots of detail,” Lownie said. “On the other hand, it is understandable that Prince Harry’s spokesman should seek to deny the story which has shades of the altercation he had with his brother. I’m afraid there is a long history of the Duke of Sussex being economical with the truth.”
Lownie said he had not gone to the Sussex camp for comment on the specific allegations about the fight with Andrew before publication, saying his publishers had not asked him to.
Complicating matters is the fact that the story was first published as an article in Saturday’s Daily Mail, a newspaper with which Harry has had a long and fractious relationship. Harry is currently part of a class action lawsuit, which includes Elton John, that accuses the paper of illegal information-gathering. The case is due to go to trial in 2026.
For a fuller account and analysis of Lownie’s stunning allegations, check out The Royalist’s new Substack.
Lownie’s allegations about Andrew in his book made headlines worldwide on Saturday. One of the most sensational stories was Lownie’s claim that Jeffrey Epstein, when describing Andrew to friends, said: “We are both serial sex addicts. He’s the only person I have met who is more obsessed with p---y than me.”
One journalist told Lownie that, when Andrew was in Thailand on the crown’s behalf celebrating the King of Thailand’s diamond jubilee in 2006, more than 40 women were brought to his hotel room in Bangkok, adding, “Often, as soon as one left, another would arrive.”
Journalist Ian Halperin told Lownie the prince has purportedly slept with over 1,000 women, including “porn stars, actresses, models, athletes, politicians, and bartenders at clubs.”
A friend of the prince’s noted, “Sex is his big thing in life. Traveling all over the world as the U.K. trade ambassador and for other royal duties has given him access to some beautiful women, and he’s taken full advantage.”
Andrew was forced to resign his royal position after Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre alleged that, when she was 17, Epstein trafficked her to him for sex. Giuffre and Andrew later settled a civil case for an undisclosed sum. Giuffre died by suicide earlier this year.
Andrew was stripped of all royal patronages by his mother in 2022, eight months before her death.
Andrew no longer has media representation, but a communications professional who previously worked for him has been contacted for comment.
