The Daily Beast Podcast
Episode: Prince Andrew’s Epstein Secrets Revealed
Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Joanna Coles
Guest: Andrew Loney (historian and author)
Overview
This episode offers a deep, unflinching examination of Prince Andrew’s decade-spanning scandals—especially his links to Jeffrey Epstein—through a long-form, multi-chapter interview with Andrew Loney, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York. The conversation traces Andrew’s financial corruption, sexual misbehavior, and his role in exposing systemic flaws in the British monarchy. Joanna Coles and Loney provide a panorama that includes everything from palace cover-ups and inter-royal tensions to bombshell new allegations, culminating in discussions on how these revelations threaten the monarchy’s very survival.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why Write About Prince Andrew?
[03:52] Andrew Loney:
- This is the third book in Loney’s series on royal marriages, moving from the Mountbattens and Duke and Duchess of Windsor to Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
- The Andrew book is fundamentally about “financial corruption at the heart of the royal family,” paralleling the sexual allegations but centering on money and scandal.
- Andrew and Sarah leveraged their royal status for personal gain, a theme largely unreported prior to his research.
2. Andrew’s Place in the Royal Family
[05:09] Loney:
- Andrew is “the Queen’s favorite son”—boisterous, entitled, and chronically searching for identity.
- “He demonstrated all the same traits of naivety, stupidity, arrogance, pomposity. He’s been searching for an identity all his life and the only identity he has really is as a member of the Royal family.” ([05:09])
3. Corruption and Collusion at the Palace
[08:39] Loney:
- As a trade envoy (2001–2011), Andrew misused his public role to arrange private business deals, often involving Epstein and other shady figures.
- He was “taking commission on deals” and knew “he was protected” by palace silence.
- Quote: “The shocking thing was to discover that this was supported by other members of the Royal family. The Queen not only turned a blind eye, she actually colluded...” ([09:06])
4. The Epstein & Maxwell Connection
[14:02] Host / [14:39] Loney:
- Relationship with Epstein predated official accounts, perhaps as early as 1991.
- Sarah Ferguson is noted to appear more frequently in Epstein’s black book than Andrew.
- Both used as “social magnets” by Epstein.
- Epstein on Andrew: “He’s the king of kink.” ([14:39] Loney quoting Epstein)
- Andrew, Epstein, Trump: a trio defined by shared interest in money and sex.
- Trump and Andrew swapped lists of masseuses, with photographic evidence of their social closeness.
5. Ghislaine Maxwell’s Role
[17:58] Loney:
- Maxwell “drew Andrew into the net”—enabling both his and Epstein’s exploits.
- Their triangle was both sexual and financial (joint ventures in Thailand and Malawi).
- Maxwell frequented Buckingham Palace as an “overnight visitor,” bypassing security.
6. Andrew’s Sexual Misconduct and Thailand Revelations
[19:50] Host / [20:17] Loney:
- Weekend in Thailand: reputable sources witnessed Andrew allegedly engaging with about 40 prostitutes over a weekend.
- Hotel staff describe a parade of women and, at times, men brought for Andrew.
- Diplomatic staff were asked to procure “blondes” for him.
- Andrew displayed little discretion, even on official trips.
7. Newsnight Interview Fallout & Family Enabling
[26:26] Host / [26:29] Loney:
- Andrew thought he did well on the infamous 2019 BBC Newsnight, buoyed by sycophants.
- “He has very little sense of self-awareness and very few people around him who...will speak truth to him.” ([26:29])
- Protected by unwillingness of Queen, Palace, and staff to rein him in.
- Philip allegedly intervened only when reputation was on the line.
8. Settlement with Virginia Giuffre and Royal Crisis
[29:17] Loney:
- Newsnight led to Andrew’s forced retirement from public life.
- No remorse or cooperation with authorities; “the show is over now.”
- The Queen continued to show public support, but the settlement with Giuffre was pivotal.
9. Systemic Failure: The Monarchy’s “Perilous Moment”
[31:40] Loney:
- The family is now “cutting off the limb before he infects the whole institution.”
- Demand for transparency, accountability, and financial openness is mounting.
10. Recent Developments: Royal Exile, Legal Threats, and New Allegations
[43:07] Loney:
- Andrew is “in exile” within the UK, potentially preparing to relocate abroad (Bahrain or Middle East) to avoid legal action.
- New witness accounts and former staff are coming forward with fresh evidence.
- Possible charges: malfeasance/misconduct in public office (life imprisonment).
- Parliamentary and public pressure for real investigations is growing.
11. Explosive New Allegations: Hitman & Epstein’s Death
[70:47] Coles & Loney:
- Loney’s sources claim Epstein once sought to hire a British-trained hitman (a “sniper”) to assassinate Andrew or Sarah Ferguson due to fears they might reveal his secrets.
- Loney says “Epstein was killed” in prison by another inmate (per internal FBI correspondence he saw)—raising serious questions about the official suicide narrative.
- He is careful to hedge: “a fragment” of evidence and not an affidavit.
12. Press Emboldenment & Sea Change
[57:56] Loney:
- British journalists, once deferential, are now “much more critical... running hard-hitting investigations” on royal finances and misconduct.
- Loney sees a “sea change in attitudes which is welcome.”
13. Slimmed Down Monarchy? Charles, William, and the Future
[35:22, 51:24, 53:21] Loney:
- William is expected to slice titles and embrace a “European-style” monarchy with fewer prominent royals.
- Public support for the monarchy is plummeting; youth are increasingly apathetic.
- Andrew, Harry, Meghan, Beatrice, Eugenie expected to lose titles.
- Demand for full transparency about royal finances—estate income, tax payments, and dealings.
14. Family Infighting, Fergie’s Plan, and the “Kremlin” Atmosphere
[33:21, 115:35]
- Royal events are described as “like a medieval court” and, later, “like the Kremlin.”
- Andrew and Sarah Ferguson maintain “pick me” energy, trying to stay relevant.
- Fergie’s future is uncertain; may relocate to Portugal, Switzerland, or the US.
- Their daughters—Beatrice and Eugenie—are embroiled in deals criticized for leveraging royal contacts for business, mostly in the Middle East.
15. Final Reflections on Accountability and Legacy
[35:42, 112:07]
- The Andrew case is a “point of maximum danger” for the monarchy, akin to the 1936 abdication.
- Public wants “no more cover-ups”—royals are “no longer above the law.”
- Coles remarks: “The Andrew Mountbatten Windsor saga is not merely about personal failure, but systemic failure where privilege insulated power until the scaffolding finally collapsed.” ([125:35])
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “He’s the king of kink.” —Loney quoting Jeffrey Epstein on Andrew’s sexual appetites [14:39]
- “The Queen not only turned a blind eye, she actually colluded with this...” [09:06]
- “The show is over now.” —Prince Philip, per Loney, after Newsnight fallout [29:17]
- “This isn’t a man who loves women; it’s a man who sees how women can be useful to him.” —Loney on Andrew’s transactional relationships [19:04]
- “Protected all the way through. There was no one who was frankly looking out for him. And it doesn’t seem to be even his own family.” [27:26]
- “It is a medieval court... Who do you trust?” [33:54]
- “We have now got a precedent for people losing their titles… it could be much sooner than people realize.” [53:21]
- “A point of maximum danger… most perilous moment since the abdication.” [111:00]
- “She was fond of her grandchildren. She was pleased that Fergie had basically taken Andrew off their hands.” —Loney on Queen’s feelings toward Sarah Ferguson [117:53]
- “We love you, and... thank you for your comments.” —Joanna Coles’ closing, breaking the fourth wall [126:00]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [03:52] — Why Loney wrote about Andrew
- [09:06] — The Queen’s protection and collusion
- [14:39] — Epstein’s view of Andrew (“king of kink”)
- [15:42] — Trump/Epstein/Andrew relationship described
- [19:50] — Thailand orgy revelations
- [26:26] — Andrew’s delusion post-Newsnight
- [29:17] — The settlement and Prince Philip’s intervention
- [31:40] — How the palace sought to protect itself
- [43:07] — Andrew’s effective exile and the palace’s break with him
- [70:47] — Allegation: Epstein sought to have Andrew/Fergie assassinated
- [75:15] — Bombshell: Epstein allegedly murdered, not suicide
- [115:35] — Royal family dynamics at a recent funeral (“like the Kremlin”)
- [112:07] — Discussion of Beatrice, Eugenie, and business deals
Original Tone & Language
- Joanna Coles is sharp, direct, and irrepressibly curious—peppering Loney with pointed questions and asides.
- Andrew Loney is extraordinarily detailed, dispassionate, and at times withering in his assessment of Andrew’s (and the monarchy’s) failures.
- The discussion balances tabloid-worthy storytelling with serious institutional critique, maintaining a level of frankness rare in royal commentary.
Final Thoughts
The Daily Beast Podcast bores into the Prince Andrew–Epstein scandal not as mere gossip, but as the nerve center of a larger royal crisis. Andrew Loney’s reporting propels the episode from exposé to indictment, implicating not just one prince but an entire system. In this episode, listeners are left with the inescapable sense that accountability is coming—possibly for the first time in royal history—and that the Windsors may never be the same.
For Further Drama & Revelations:
- Andrew Loney’s book: Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York
- Virginia Giuffre’s memoir: Nobody’s Fool
- Watch for updates as new Epstein files and further royal disclosures break.
