With Prince Andrew's latest scandals surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and his rent-free existence at Royal Lodge dominating royal headlines in recent weeks, there's been an increased interest in his relationship with his mother, Queen Elizabeth. Andrew—who announced last week that he'd no longer be using his Duke of York title—was considered by many to be the late Queen's favorite child. But according to royal biographer Robert Hardman, Queen Elizabeth also had a soft spot for other members of her family who were deemed "spares."
"People ask, why was The Queen so long-suffering with Andrew or Harry?" Hardman said in a new episode of the Daily Mail's podcast, "Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things." The royal expert continued, "I think it's because she saw the fact her father was a spare—and she also felt great sympathy for her sister, Margaret, who could never find her true role in life."
