Andrew Windsor's Huge Ego And Delusion Are The Only Things Keeping Him Afloat, Source Claims

Prince Andrew appears to be clinging to his public image with a conviction described by a source close to the royal household as driven entirely by 'huge ego and delusion'.

Following the formal removal of his royal style, princely title and many of his honours, the Duke of York now faces the stark reality of life without the privileges that once protected him from public scrutiny. Royal insiders have it that his non-admittance of the seriousness of his situation only displays the growing separation between perception and reality.

Since 2019 when he gave up his royal duties, the Duke has mostly not been seen in public but certain recent happenings have reintroduced him to the limelight. The Crown Office made Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm public on Nov. 3, 2025, confirming that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor would no longer be entitled to the style 'Royal Highness' or the title 'Prince'. The move, requested by King Charles III, legally severed one of the final connections to his royal identity.

At the same time, the government has begun the process of removing his last honorary military rank, Vice-Admiral of the Royal Navy. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed on Nov. 2, 2025 that ministers were actively working on the revocation, signalling a decisive break from his previous ceremonial military associations.

Prince Andrew's Titles Removed and Military Honour Under Review

The Letters Patent of Nov. 3 formally stripped Andrew of his style and title, marking a pivotal moment in a process that began in late October 2025. Legal historians have noted that it is unusual for a senior royal to be stripped of their titles in such a formal manner, particularly while still living. The government's simultaneous move to remove his Vice-Admiral rank highlights the intention to sever all remaining official connections.

Although Andrew retains a campaign medal for his service in the Falklands War — awarded for active military service rather than ceremonial role — this does little to counteract the loss of broader prestige. Defence officials confirmed that medals earned through service are unaffected by these changes.

The source close to the royal household expressed frustration at what they describe as Andrew's inability to accept reality. 'He seems unable to accept that his former status no longer shields him', they said. 'He is acting as though the world will wait for him to emerge unscathed — but that is not how today's monarchy works'.

Royal observers noted that the combination of ego and delusion appears to be his primary coping mechanism in the face of unprecedented public and institutional scrutiny.

Prince Andrew Faces Intensified Public and Media Scrutiny

Apart from the legal and ceremonial implications, public opinion keeps on exerting pressure. The connection of Prince Andrew to Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, who is now deceased, has been a subject of public and media attention all along. Giuffre's memoir's release after her death has led to the discussion of accountability and transparency again, which has kept Andrew in the public eye even though he is not performing any official royal duties.

The lobby groups are saying that the symbolic removals of titles and the like must go along with a public announcement of taking the blame; otherwise, the social and informal privileges may still cover the person and he will not be accountable. Here, the source's comment about Andrew depending only on ego and delusion is very much in tune with the public's perspective.

The expenses for his residence at the Royal Lodge and the property related to it have made some people critical, and the critics have raised the question of the public spending connected to a former king who is no longer performing any royal duties and is not enjoying any royal privileges being largely over. Some analysts say that this legal, social and financial pressure working together is a clear indication that the process of dismantling Andrew's previous identity as a senior royal is going on.

For the Duke of York, the loss of his titles, the military honour that is about to be revoked and the public watching his every move are all signs of a drastic change in his status from that of a once powerful person. According to the source, the only thing keeping him afloat in the current climate is his refusal to confront reality — a situation that stresses the high stakes of ego and self-perception in the glare of public life.