Andrew Lownie is one of the few royal biographers with good timing. Last year, his book about Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and their daughters was published just a few months before the Epstein Files revealed the Yorks’ sordid and criminal dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Lownie has basically been on an I-Told-You-So Tour ever since. Personally, I think Lownie hurts his main case against the Yorks by pursuing multiple agendas all at once – like, he very clearly has a curious ax to grind against Prince Harry too, and that makes me question all of the sh-t he’s said about Andrew and Fergie. I also question his sourcing overall. Still, Lownie is a sh-t stirrer and the other royal reporters can’t handle it. About a week ago, Lownie brought up the old rumors about Andrew’s paternity and how Queen Elizabeth II possibly had an affair with her dear friend Porchey, aka Lord Porchester. Well, despite the fact that no outlet picked up Lownie’s comments, Richard Eden is outraged! He devoted his Daily Mail column to being outraged over Lownie’s full quotes, published for the first time in the Mail!
Andrew Lownie was widely praised for carrying out a public service when he wrote Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which laid bare the moral corruption, greed and excesses of the Duke and Duchess of York….Lownie, who is also a literary agent, is rightly proud of the best-selling book, and now the author, 64, who claims to be a monarchist, has been giving interviews around the world involving some sensational claims – and not just about the beleaguered Andrew and Fergie.
During an appearance on stage at the Oxford Literary Festival, Lownie turned his fire on Andrew’s beloved late mother, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday this month. He claimed that the late Queen had ‘crossed the line’ legally ‘a lot’ when she made allowances for Andrew, who was often described as her favourite child. Lownie then chose to make the provocative claim that our late monarch was senile in her later years.
‘By the end of her life, what people don’t realise, is that she was completely gaga,’ the author claimed. ‘He [Andrew] would go up there and he would bully her into doing things. So for the last few years of her life Charles actually was running the show, rather than the Queen.’
Lownie went on to discuss unsubstantiated claims that both MI6 and the Foreign Office complained about the former Prince Andrew. He continued: ‘He was made a vice-admiral in the Navy, and that was after these allegations. She [the Queen] entertained a lot of [his associates]. President Aliyev of Azerbaijan gave her a horse and she was thrilled. She, I’m afraid, abetted this [his misbehaviour]. The whole family abetted this – they knew about it.’
Having met the Queen at a party near Buckingham Palace in her later years, I can affirm that she was certainly not ‘completely gaga’ or, indeed, even a little gaga. In fact, she spent so long making intelligent small talk with guests at the party that she rather showed me up. I wanted to leave and go home but felt I could hardly depart before our elderly monarch.
Lownie also discussed the late monarch’s friendship with her racing manager, the 7th Earl of Carnarvon, who was known as ‘Porchie’, thanks to his previous courtesy title of Lord Porchester. Discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s character with an interviewer Down Under, Lownie said: ‘He was the favourite, he was spoiled, he has a very different character to Edward and indeed to Charles, and that’s because, I think, he has a different father. I think he’s the child of Lord Porchester, and Lord Porchester was like that, and so I think that it’s a genetic thing.’
Viewers of Netflix’s popular, but wildly inaccurate, drama series The Crown will already be familiar with innuendo about the Queen’s friendship with Porchie, but it’s controversial, to say the least, that Lownie should spread such rumours. Perhaps he should stick to writing about the living rather than those who are in no position to answer back. After her record-breaking reign and a life devoted to duty, I would say the Queen deserves far better.
First off, I don’t think QEII was “completely gaga,” but she was out of it, exhausted, sick, elderly and dying from cancer (allegedly). At times, she had that glassy-eyed look of someone who didn’t really know where they were. I do think Andrew bullied her in a sense, but it was probably emotional manipulation more than anything else. As for the rumors that Andrew is Porchey’s son… I don’t know. I’ve never been sure of that. Andrew never looked much like Prince Philip, nor does he look much like Edward, Charles or Anne, although I think out of all of them, you can see a resemblance between Anne and Andrew. I also think Anne and Andrew look the most like QEII, for what it’s worth. I’ll include some pics below of Porchey so you can decide for yourself. And no, I don’t think QEII was magically “above” speculation. She was genuinely very close to Porchey and there have been rumors about an alleged affair for decades.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Instar, Avalon Red.
-
- USA Rights Only – London, UK -20180621-Royals Attending Royal Ascot – Day Three -PICTURED: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Andrew -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -37123893.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
-
- Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, arrive at Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, on June 18, 2019, to attend the horse races, it is one of the most important and largest racetracks in England,Image: 449158010, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Netherlands OUT, Point De Vue OUT, Model Release: no, Credit line: Albert Nieboer / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
-
- HRH DUKE OF YORK At Arromanches, France for the 50th Anniversary of the D-Day Allied Invasion of Normandy. COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot Photo UC 007844/B 06.06.1994,Image: 502655492, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries call Photoshot Global HQ – London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 , also New York Office Tel : + 1 646-429-8731 and Hamburg Office Tel +49 (0)40 530 240 5959, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photoshot/Avalon
-
- The Royal Family gather on the palace balcony at Trooping the Colour and Queens Birthday Parade on Saturday 9 June 2018 in Buckingham Palace , London. Pictured: Anne, The Princess Royal , Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales,Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge , Prince Louis of Cambridge. Picture by Julie Edwards/LFI/Avalon. All usages must be credited Julie Edwards/LFI/Avalon.,Image: 515354247, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red / Avalon
-
- 153629, HM The Queen Elizabeth II with the Duke of Edinburgh, arrives in the winners enclosure with Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, on the first day of Royal Ascot. London, United Kingdom – Tuesday June 14, 2016. UK, FRANCE, AUS, NZ, CHINA, HONGKONG, TAIWAN, SPAIN & ITALY OUT Photograph: © Andrew Parsons / i-Images, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office: +1 310.822.0419 UK Office: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 533488612, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
-
- The Queen arrives in Westminster Abbey accompanied by the Duke of York for the service of thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip.,Image: 673799384, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
The British really haven’t yet heard about Streisand effect, have they? I daresay that many DM readers never heard this juicy piece of gossip before this was published. 🤣
I don’t suppose anyone will ever be inclined to do a DNA test, but, the late Queen’s overindulgence of Andrew does bespeak a certain drive to overcompensate….
Interesting point!
Perhaps Parliament may ask Andrew for a DNA test should they want an easy way to remove him from the line of succession. Philip’s DNA is on record as he gave it to determine the identity of the Russian bodies as the Russian royal family.
My grandmother has always been wild about my uncle and we figured it was because he’s the only boy and born first. Turns out it’s all that and he has a different father. She got knocked up by a married man and my grandfather said he’d marry her and call the baby his own. Not an affair as such but a huge explainer on decades of behaviour and family tensions.
“Lownie brought up the old rumors about Andrew’s paternity and how Queen Elizabeth II possibly had an affair with her dear friend Porchey”
Andrew has more of a familial resemblance to George Herbert, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, than he does to KCIII or Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.
So Lownie is calling the queen gaga and a woman who had a kid from someone other than her husband. Well, dang. That’s messy. Regardless of the truth, that man is being messy on main.
For supposed Royalists they’re really doing their level damndest to destroy the monarchy. Lol. The pathological behaviour on display is breathtaking.
Eden shrieking about how no one should talk about Her Late Maj and Porchey, whilst dedicating many column inches to that very topic? 🤣
Maureen, the call is coming from inside your own house. Seek professional help.
Streisand Effect, indeed.
This is something I give Eden credit for, because he is very good at this – Emily Andrews used to be as well and Richard Kay sometimes is – when he wants to talk about something or bring something up but he can’t directly, he’ll write an article feigning outrage and shock while repeating every single thing he’s supposedly ranting about. He did the same thing during the initial Rose-gate.
he really wants to talk about the Queen’s mental capacity at the end of her life, how Andrew took advantage of that, and why the Queen always favored Andrew (hint hint his real father) – but he can’t – so he’s going to ride on Downie’s comments here for a while.
I mean, who cares? They ignore the fact that her husband was a well-known philanderer, and likely has other children out there. They don’t care about the sanctity of marriage and all of that when it comes to him, because of course it’s to be expected for philip, but can’t have your Madonna / whore comparisons if the queen acted like behaved like a normal human, and wasn’t a perfect paragon.
And even if he wasn’t Phillips child, it wouldn’t really matter for the line of succession. No one’s disputing that he’s Elizabeth’s child.
It’s funny though that they have no problem with portraying her as this horrible bigot who hated that Meghan on sight, and knew that she was wiley and terrible, but implying that maybe she decided that she didn’t have anything to uphold and an emotionally neglectful marriage where her husband was constantly cheating on her is a step too far.
Yeah, Andrew being Porchie’s is the absolute LAST thing I would judge her for. It hurts literally nobody (even Andrew since the royal blood flowed through her not Philip…not that that matters anymore since he’s no longer a prince anyway ha)
Philip was a prince in his own right. That’s why he was Prince Philip, not Philip, Prince of England. There’s some bloodline connection to Queen Victoria and also to the Romanoch’s.
That’s why a DNA sample from Philip was used to help identify the remains of the Romanovs when they were discovered. Tsarina Alexandra was one of Queen Victoria’s granddaughters, and Philip was the grandson of Alexandra’s sister Victoria.
By the time Phillip and QEII married, he was no longer a prince – or didn’t use the title in England, I can’t remember. QEII made him a prince of the UK in 1957 (so the Crown got one thing right.)
But regardless, royal blood is royal blood and he and QEII had Victoria as a common ancestor (I think it was Victoria.)
Double standards are no problem for the press.
It does matter because children in the line of succession must be legitimate.
He does bear a striking resemblance to Porchy but I doubt the Queen crossed that line, given she was monarch.
I don’t see it. I think Beatrice looks like Andrew — and strikingly like Queen Victoria, so lots of resemblance to QEIl’s side. At this point, though, Eh.
Andrew was born 41 weeks after Philip returned from tour. He’s Philip’s.son. Did qeii have an affair with porchy? Who cares. Andrew is Qeii’s and philip’s biological son.
There was a lot of speculation/gossip at the time concerning dates. Philip was absent for a lengthy period before the presumed date of conception. The birth took place in Buckingham Palace. Andrew wasn’t seen in public until he was 6 months old. He was a big sturdy baby. There are undoubted similarities with the Porchesters. The current Earl of Carnarvon bears a resemblance to Andrew, facially and in physical build. None of this proves anything but equally there’s nothing to disprove the possibility.
Well, with this article bringing it fully into public consciousness, people wil certainly talk about it now. Well done, Eden!
He will be well paid for this, the fact that the late Queen cannot respond is an advantage to him.
I’m betting Charles has been longing to put this story into the public domain for years. See, mummy???? I was your real boy. It’s… a theory. Far-fetched, perhaps, but, I’m guessing it holds a grain of truth.
I am a couple of years older than Diana. I have always heard these rumors and have always thought it was a real possibility. There is a big gap (11 years?) between Charles and Andrew. Phillip was at his worst with the reporting of affairs during this time and it would have been while the marriage was still relatively young. I am sure the Queen loved the emotional support and attention of her friend and it is not hard to take the leap it lead to more.
The Queen was one of two children and it makes sense they would have stopped there, but then an oopsy affair and then another child to make it seem legitimate.
Having said all that I care more that he was openly the favorite (how does a mother allow that to be a narrative for your other children) than I do he was the result of an affair.
The Queen Mother (or so I read) told Elizabeth she regretted not having more than two children. So she encouraged Elizabeth to have more children. Also Margaret had a young family then and I read Elizabeth felt she and Margaret’s young children and hers as being close in age would be a benefit.
The porchy math doesn’t math. Andrew was born 41 weeks after Phillip returned from a tour. Andrew is the bio son of QEII and philip.
Lort. The rota is weird. What is going on behind the scenes that has made it okay to smear even QE to protect the left behinds? What are they afraid of being revealed?
From all accounts, Lizzie was pretty randy herself as a younger woman, but it was having the hots for Phil. However, it would not surprise me, that after all the philandering, and all the mistresses, she finally said to herself, “Imma gonna get me some, too!” (ok, I’m taking linguistic license on the utterance lol). I doubt she stayed celibate all the time Phil was out catting at parties (Anyone remember the Profumo case? Phil was seen at those parties). Pedo certainly has the Windsor teeth (from Lizzie’s line), but other than that…? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ All the others resemble each other. EXCEPT Pedo. He doesn’t look like any of them (save the teeth). And obviously got his “hot to trot” genes from mama. So her having her “discrete” affairs wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Andrew resembles his other grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece, except for the teeth, which are 100% Windsor
I went to look at photos of Andrew of Greece, but I don’t see any resemblance to Andrew.
Andrew, on the other hand, has a chubby face like Lord Porchester, unlike his brothers with long faces.
Charles inherited his larger ears from his paternal grandfather prince Andrew
Porchie was more handsome than Philip. Hope she got to have her fun, too.
Note the little gem of information that Maureen dropped in there? Eden wants us all to know that he socialised with the Queen (QE2). Just like he was quick to point out that he knows the York girls because he moved in the same circles and went to the same parties. The Lowrie story is well known so it, to me, was just way for Eden to let everyone know that he KNEW the Queen.
Elizabeth’s relationship with Lord Porchester is as much an open secret as Andrew’s paternity. Even a very serious journalist missed the story on live television (not in Great Britain, obviously). I had also read about another relationship between Elizabeth and a nobleman who was in her service, and upon whose death Elizabeth erected a small shrine in her memory, whose name I don’t recall. I had also read about strong doubts about Edward’s paternity. I don’t know if there’s any news online anymore. Much of it has been suppressed.
Have you heard about it?
The math doesn’t math for porchester but it does math for phillip’s return from tour to a randy wife. 41 weeks later Andy is born.
I remember the rumors about Edward’s paternity back in the 90s at the same time hearing about Porchie. I can’t remember who they named though and finding those old message boards is impossible these days. But there was a likeness, could have been possible.
DNA testing should be done on the entire aristocracy it would make a very disgusting but comical reading I’m sure.. I always thought Ann and Andy might not be Phillip’s.. but I’m sure Phillip left his illegitimate children to be raised by other aristo families also.. they all look alike anyways from centuries of cousin marriages.
I went to look at photos of Andrew of Greece, but I don’t see any resemblance to Andrew.
Andrew, on the other hand, has a chubby face like Lord Porchester, unlike his brothers with long faces.
And what about Anna’s daughter Zara?
I read that rumors are circulating that she’s the daughter of one of her bodyguards. The bodyguard’s wife released a statement saying that Anna’s first phone call after giving birth was to her husband…
Where are you getting your information? I don’t think your sources are British or American, possibly French? Just curious.
Zara looks like Mark Phillips. With Anne’s blonde hair.
I’m replying to MaryAnne Davies.
I read the news I reported online, on non-English sites obviously, but now I can’t find it anymore… who knows why… Anyway, if you look at old photos, Mark is next to Anna when they leave the clinic after Peter’s birth. When they leave the clinic, Anna is holding Zara, but she’s alone. Perhaps Mark could be glimpsed inside the clinic entrance… At the time, I read that it took all Elizabeth’s power to convince Mark to keep quiet.
More rumors about Elizabeth the Queen Mother: rumors said she was the daughter of the French cook, Marguerite, of the Bowes-Lyon family, and Edward VIII nicknamed her Cookie.
I’m reporting what I read at the time; they know the truth.
Laura I don’t believe elizabeth was the daughter of a French cook because lady colin said so
She came up with falsehoods about Diana
Anne is the image of Philip. She takes after him in looks down to the blonde hair
Anne and Zara both look exactly like princess Mary, Duchess of Harewood. Neither looks like philip.
Correction, Countess of Harewood
The Queen (then Princess) and Philip were in their much talked about Malta Years. Anne is Philips. Diana even commented about the resemblance
There were no Malta years. She visited four times in 24 months.
I know iris. But anne was supposedly conceived in Malta. The queen did not stay consecutive years in Malta. She did royal work because her father was ill . The Malta story was dredged up to try to excuse the keens from laziness. It was an illogical attempt to try to excuse them.
Elizabeth spent 177 non consecutive days in Malta over two years. She mostly returned when Philip was at sea.
…DNA testing for everyone!!!
I don’t know how this worm of a man can say “Perhaps he should stick to writing about the living rather than those who are in no position to answer back.” whilst he and fellow authors/’journalists’ constantly put words in the mouth of dead QE2. I’m surprised they’re not struck by a thunderbolt for such lying.
That got me, too! Like, dude, do you read your own paper?!?!?!
I mention it all the time. It’s fascinating. Margaret had affairs. So did Elizabeth’s husband (many affairs). Why not Elizabeth too? And I love doing the comparisons between Porchie and Andrew. I think that’s why he’s her favorite son, too.
So which should we believe?
That QEII was fully capable when she decided to look the other way from her son’s possibly criminal behavior?
Or she was gaga and easily influenced into paying millions of pounds to Virginia Giuffre?
Either way, the monarchy looks bad.
As for her affair with Porchy, at least they were two consenting adults.
Nah, don’t see it. He just favors his mother, that’s all.
And–he should write about the living royals rather than the dead ones who can’t answer for themselves any more? Is Eden not aware of the gazillions of stories about TQ EII his paper publishes???? All quoting her????