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Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Lifestyle
Jenny Proudfoot

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Has Been Accused of a ‘Physical Altercation’ With a Royal Aide

How the royal family will be impacted by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest.
  • Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly once engaged a royal aide in a "physical altercation," according to claims in new biography, Elizabeth II by Robert Hardman.
  • The former Prince allegedly confronted Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Jonstone-Burt after he was told that "he'd have to wait his turn like anybody else" when planning an event at Buckingham Palace.
  • "The Duke went for him," royal household sources reported, per Hardman, describing the incident as "not just an outburst of expletives and a jab of a finger," but a "kinetic" blow.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been accused of a "physical altercation" with a royal aide, according to a new biography.

Elizabeth II by Robert Hardman is set for release later this week, detailing "the inside story" of the late Queen's life both "in private [and] in public".

Ahead of its highly-anticipated release, the book is being serialised by the Daily Mail, with Hardman publishing regular excerpts from the upcoming biography.

This involved shock claims around the late monarch's second son, with reports that the former Duke of York, who was stripped of his titles last year, once engaged a royal aide in a physical altercation.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The aide in question, Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Jonstone-Burt, was allegedly confronted by the former Prince after he was told that he could not hold a Pitch@Palace event at Buckingham Palace.

"It was a routine household matter," a source within the royal household reportedly told Hardman. "The Duke wanted to have a reception, and there wasn't any room. It was as simple as that."

"Tony said he'd have to wait his turn like anybody else, and the Duke went for him."

The alleged "altercation" was "not just an outburst of expletives and a jab of a finger," reported one source, while another claimed that it was a "kinetic" blow.

The incident was allegedly reported to the Lord Chamberlain, who spoke to King Charles about the situation.

However, according to the reports, an apology did not follow, with Andrew telephoning the Lord Chamberlain and allegedly telling him, "I gather you've been calling people and causing problems".

Per the excerpt, Andrew's father Prince Philip did reach out, writing a letter of apology to Sir Tony Jonstone-Burt after the alleged incident.

Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story. by Robert Hardman is set for release on Thursday 9 April 2026.

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