The arrest of Prince Andrew on Feb. 19 has once again thrust the embattled royal into global headlines and reignited scrutiny of both his long-standing ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his increasingly fragile financial footing. He is being was arrested and is under investigation for misconduct in public office.
The Broke Prince?
UK authorities are investigating claims that Prince Andrew, during his tenure as a U.K. trade envoy from 2001 to 2011, exploited his position for personal benefit and disclosed confidential government information to Epstein, PBS reported. The probe covers possible misconduct in public office and the improper use of taxpayer-funded travel.
Sixty-six-year-old Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as the Duke of York, has denied wrongdoing related to Epstein although the files have revealed various emails and photos of Andrew with Epstein and his circle. This despite settling with one alleged Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre.
Giuffre sued Prince Andrew for sexual assault in 2021, alleging he forced her into sexual encounters when she was 17, trafficked by Epstein. Giuffre alleged abuse in London, New York, and on Epstein’s island. Andrew denied the allegations and later settled the lawsuit out of court in early 2022 for an undisclosed amount, The New York Times reported. Reports estimated the total settlement package was between £3 million and £12 million ($3.6 million – $16.3 million).
The settlement reportedly forced Andrew to liquidate assets, including the sale of a Swiss chalet. However, heavy mortgage obligations meant the transaction generated little profit, Business Insider reported.He also had to borrow from his parents. The late Queen Elizabeth II contributed £7 million toward the 2022 out-of-court settlement. Another £3 million reportedly came from the estate of Prince Philip, who died in 2021. It is also reported that then-Prince Charles contributed £1.5 million, with other royals adding smaller amounts.
Giuffre later committed suicide in April 2025 before the release of her memoir, “Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice,” published posthumously on Oct. 21, 2025.
So how much money does Andrew actually have left, and how will he fund another potentially expensive legal battle?
Estimates of his net worth hover around £3 million to £3.7 million (roughly $5 million). That figure stands in stark contrast to the vast private wealth associated with his brother, King Charles III, who net worth is estimated to be £640 million (approximately $860 million). Andrew’s confirmed income streams are limited. After serving in the Royal Navy from 1979 to 2001, he reportedly receives a pension of about £20,000 per year, along with a U.K. state pension now that he is in his mid-60s, according to Fortune.
In recent years, Andrew has also faced reductions in royal support. Reports indicate that his annual allowance and private security funding were cut, leaving him responsible for significant personal expenses. Although he retains a long lease on Royal Lodge in Windsor, the upkeep alone is expnsive.
Observers note that Andrew has previously relied on property sales, private loans, and wealthy contacts to navigate financial shortfalls.
The newly released Epstein files even revealed Epstein plotted to secure a £1 million advance for Prince Andrew as part of a business deal with Cantor Fitzgerald, in which Andrew would have received a 40% split to “offset a loan,” The Telegraph reported.
As investigators examine allegations tied to his past role as a U.K. trade envoy, Andrew’s future, both legal and financial, appears uncertain. What is clear is that the former working royal’s once-insulated lifestyle now faces the harsh glare of public accountability, with mounting questions about how a prince with modest declared income can continue to fund mounting legal bills.
