Shocking revelations from a new book claim that Prince Andrew hosted a party at Sandringham estate in 2000 where items like sex-enhancing drugs, condoms, and lubricants were allegedly found in the bathrooms afterward.
According to "The Windsor Legacy" by Robert Jobson, serialized in the Daily Mail, this eyebrow-raising event was held to celebrate Ghislaine Maxwell’s 39th birthday, casting fresh scrutiny on Andrew’s ties to convicted sex trafficker Maxwell and the late Jeffrey Epstein, as Daily Mail reports.
Let’s rewind to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Epstein and Maxwell were frequent guests at royal residences, with photos showing them lounging at Balmoral in 1999 and joining a pheasant shoot at Sandringham with Andrew in 2000.
Fast forward to the infamous birthday bash in 2000 at Sandringham, where royal staff—used to tidying up after Andrew—reportedly stumbled upon poppers, a drug linked to enhancing sexual experiences, along with other intimate items in the bathrooms.
What was Andrew’s take on this so-called celebration? “It was a shooting weekend… a straightforward shooting weekend,” he insisted during a 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.
Straightforward? With bathroom finds like that, one might wonder if the only thing being shot was common sense, though we must acknowledge Andrew’s right to frame his own narrative, however unconvincing it may seem to traditionalists.
Maxwell, now 63 and serving a 20-year sentence in the U.S. for sex trafficking, is the daughter of the late newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell, while Epstein, who passed away at 66, was a shadowy figure in elite circles.
Their cozy relationship with Andrew during that era raises questions about judgment within royal circles, especially when photos place them at the heart of private estates like Balmoral and Sandringham.
For conservatives who value tradition, this mingling with such controversial figures feels like a betrayal of the monarchy’s moral high ground, though we must temper criticism with an understanding of the complex pressures royals face.
Through the Epstein scandal, the late Queen remained a steadfast defender of her son, reportedly confiding to a trusted ally, “You have to remember, he is my son.”
Her loyalty shielded Andrew from complete exile despite pressure from palace insiders, and even in 2021, she insisted on a face-to-face meeting to break the news of Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against him, softening the blow.
Joined by senior courtiers Sir Edward Young and Sir Michael Stevens, that meeting saw Andrew stripped of most patronages and military titles—except his Vice Admiral rank—a harsh but necessary step for many who believe in accountability, even for royals.
After the Queen’s passing, Andrew lost his fiercest protector, and King Charles stepped in to rein in his brother’s lavish spending, including a jaw-dropping £32,000 bill for a live-in yoga instructor that Andrew expected the Privy Purse to cover.
Charles’ push to curb royal expenditure—contrasting with the Queen’s past approval of hefty bills for spiritual advisors chanting Indian mantras—signals a no-nonsense approach that many fiscal conservatives would applaud, though it’s a bitter pill for Andrew.
Adding to his woes, Andrew faces a potential move from the grand 33-room Royal Lodge in Windsor to more modest digs at Sandringham, with options like a former hunting lodge or the estate gardener’s home—attractive Edwardian properties, sure, but a clear downgrade that some might see as a fitting consequence.
