Prince Edward has quietly assumed a key position within the royal family that was once occupied by his disgraced older brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II challenges the long-held belief that Andrew was the late monarch's favourite son. According to Geo.tv, the Duke of Edinburgh has stepped into a prominent royal role following Andrew's dramatic fall from grace amid the Jeffrey Epstein scandal .
Dickie Arbiter, who served as the Queen's press secretary from 1988 to 2000, said during the Royal Exclusive podcast that Andrew "was never the favourite" and described him as "arrogant" and "bombastic," claiming he consistently put himself first "to the detriment of everybody else" . Arbiter asserted that Prince Edward was actually the Queen's preferred son, a claim also made by royal biographer Matthew Dennison in his book, The Queen .
"Andrew was always up front, he was always the noisy one and he was always the noisy one as an adult until he was put back in his box," Arbiter said . He suggested the Queen "had more time for Edward" because of his quiet demeanor, adding that Edward "went about life quietly without pushing himself and he's doing a tremendous job today" .
Dennison's biography supports this account, noting that Edward was "always his parents' favourite," citing the Prince's decision to leave Royal Marines training in 1987 after just one-third of the 12-month course . Despite Prince Philip serving as Captain-General of the Royal Marines, he did not harshly criticize his son, instead accepting that the Marines "wasn't right for Edward" .
The revelations come amid an ongoing Thames Valley Police investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his alleged sharing of confidential information with Epstein . Police have since broadened the inquiry to include potential sexual offenses, renewing appeals for witnesses .
Andrew, 66, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He was stripped of his royal titles and patronages by King Charles III in late 2025 as the monarchy sought to distance itself from the Epstein fallout .
Why this matters
The narrative shift regarding Queen Elizabeth II's favouritism carries broader implications for the royal family's public image. For years, the perception that Andrew was untouchable because of his mother's protection fuelled criticism of the monarchy's handling of his scandals. Arbiter's account, if accurate, suggests Andrew's sense of entitlement was self-generated rather than maternally sanctioned—a distinction that matters as Buckingham Palace works to demonstrate accountability. Meanwhile, the police investigation continues to cast a long shadow over the royal family, with nine U.K. police forces examining potential Epstein-related wrongdoing .
Prince Edward's quiet ascension to roles once held by Andrew reflects the monarchy's broader recalibration, with Edward and his wife Sophie increasingly viewed as stabilizing figures within a slimmed-down royal operation .
