Prince Andrew's Troubled Connections and Controversies

Prince Andrew's life has been filled with controversies, from his close ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to his complicated relationships with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and his nephews, Princes William and Harry. Andrew's relationship with Epstein was much closer and lasted longer than he has admitted. They met in 1989 through Ghislaine Maxwell, and Andrew had multiple phone numbers for Epstein. Ferguson was also close to Epstein, and Andrew helped arrange for Epstein to pay off some of her debts, although the exact amount is disputed. Andrew's behavior while working as a representative for the British government was also questionable. He was nicknamed "Airmiles Andy" for his excessive expenses and was known to ask for gifts, including a Faberge egg. It is alleged that the Queen was aware of his financial misdeeds but chose to turn a blind eye. Ferguson, too, has had her share of controversies. She has been known to have affairs and has developed crushes on various famous men, including John F. Kennedy Jr. , Tiger Woods, and Kevin Costner. She once bombarded Costner with raunchy phone calls, prompting him to call her a "woman crying out for love. " Andrew's relationships with his nephews have also been strained. In 2013, he reportedly got into a physical altercation with Harry, and William has reportedly worked behind the scenes to evict Andrew from Royal Lodge. Andrew has also been rude about Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, and William's wife, Kate Middleton, although the reasons for his disapproval of Kate are unknown.