The one-time Prince Andrew insisted on a bow or a curtsy from everyone he met – and is still using his lost titles privately, according to a source
A compromising email sent to multimillionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein did more than seal Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s fate, it also revealed the former prince’s deep attachment to his royal titles.
The 2011 message, in which Andrew reaffirmed his support for the convicted sex trafficker, was signed: “A, HRH The Duke of York, KG,” pointedly emphasising his elevated status.
It also appears that Andrew was a stickler for royal protocol — even in the most casual social settings.
Following his divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996, Andrew was introduced by Epstein’s companion Ghislaine Maxwell to Australian PR executive Emma Gibbs. While he was on easy terms with “Gibbsy,” as she was known, he reportedly maintained a much more formal demeanour with her landlady.
The owner of the plush Chelsea property was said to be “very narked off” after being told she must curtsy to the then-prince during his regular visits.
The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reports that the “glamorous continental woman,” who had rented one of the four bedrooms in her home to Ms Gibbs, was astonished to be told she should pay deference to her guest.
“She was very narked off about the fact that she was being told to curtsy in her own home,” a source claimed. “Gibbsy was her lodger. It was absolutely ludicrous, frankly. It really shows that he thought he was above the law.”
According to reports, the disgraced duke still insists on royal protocol within the Royal Lodge, where he continues to live despite being stripped of his titles by his brother, King Charles.
Celebrity reporter Rob Shuter quotes one member of Andrew’s staff as saying: “Nothing has changed inside Royal Lodge – the butler still says ‘Your Royal Highness,’ and the staff still bow. Andrew’s made it clear that palace rules don’t apply inside his walls.”
The source added that Andrew continues to use his title behind closed doors: “He insists it’s his birthright — not something the King can erase.”
While “Gibbsy,” now known by her married name Emma Farah, only enjoyed a brief romance with the divorced prince, she has retained some of her royal connections.
While working for luxury florist Rob Van Helden, she helped design the spectacular jasmine, sweet pea, rose and myrtle arch created for Princess Beatrice’s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.
The couple walked beneath the floral display as they left the Royal Chapel of All Saints at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Speaking to candlemaker Victoria Cator, Farah said: “Having worked for Rob Van Helden for nearly 18 years, I have seen some incredible events produced all around the world, but my most favourite wedding arch is the one we created for HRH Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.”
