Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is set to turn 66 on February 19, but this year, his birthday will be a far cry from the extravagant festivities of the past. Instead, he will be spending it in seclusion.

The former prince, now removed from public life, has adapted to a quiet existence on the Sandringham estate. This change comes after King Charles, his elder brother, removed him from the Royal Lodge following controversies surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

His current lifestyle starkly contrasts with the one he led 26 years ago when he celebrated his 40th birthday as the Duke of York.

Back in 2000, he marked the occasion with a private ride on the London Eye. Accompanied by his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the family enjoyed a special moment together.

According to royal biographer Andrew Lownie in his book “Entitled: The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York,” the royal family had exclusive use of a capsule, and public access was restricted for 45 minutes after their arrival for security reasons.

This special treatment caused some members of the public to wait in line for up to two hours, allowing the royal family an uninterrupted experience on the iconic attraction.

It was just a starter for Andrew’s special day, though, and later that evening, his former wife threw him a ‘This Is Your Life’ birthday party in Sunninghill Park, Ascot, which cost £30,000.

‘Sarah Ferguson had organised a thirty-minute video tribute based on the television programme This Is Your Life, featuring among others Elton John, and in honour of Andrew’s Royal Navy service, staff had laid out the canapes around models of ships and helicopters, and a fleet of tiny wooden ships on each table,’ Lownie wrote.

Senior royals, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, did not attend due to concerns that Ferguson was leaking stories about them to the press, the author claimed.

Soon after, Andrew, according to Lownie, had resumed his affair with sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell and flew to Miami with model Naomi Campbell and Alexia Wallaert, a Parisian art dealer, on the ‘Lolita Express’.

The following month, on June 21, there was yet another event for Andrew’s 40th birthday, the Dance of the Decades.

In addition to Andrew’s birthday, the celebration marked Princess Anne’s 50th, Princess Margaret’s 70th, and the Queen Mother’s 100th. Both Epstein and Maxwell featured on the 800-person guestlist.

It was a lavish black-tie event where guests were served Ruinart champagne and enjoyed live music after dinner.

Fast forward to Andrew’s 54th birthday, and he was spotted living it up with George Clooney’s ex, ‘Croatian Sensation’ and model Monika Jakisic.

Lownie wrote: ‘The press reported the duke entertaining the swimwear model Monika Jakisic, known as the ‘Croatian Sensation’, first on his 54th birthday at the Italian restaurant Cecconi, then two days later at the Arts Club in Knightsbridge and finally a few weeks later in a private room at the Royal Thames Yacht Club.’

The model later sent the rumour mill into a frenzy after sharing a picture of a sparkling ring.

‘After she posted a picture of what appeared to be a diamond engagement ring, his press agent was forced to deny the rumour,’ said Lownie.

Regardless, the love between the former Duke and Duchess of York was apparently still going strong in 2018, when the latter took to Twitter to share a throwback snap of Andrew to mark his 58th birthday.

She added her own message to the post: ‘Happy birthday to the best man, father, friend Prince Andrew.’

And perhaps alluding to the fact she still carries a torch for the royal whom she’s been divorced from for over 20 years, she added, ‘Ooh, the best looking’ and sealed the message with a kiss.

This year will perhaps tell a different story for Andrew, however, following the news that the woman on the floor under him at Jeffrey Epstein’s New York mansion was a sex trafficking victim, a senior US politician has claimed.

Three images of the former prince crouching over an unidentified woman in the paedophile financier’s home were among the Epstein files released on January 30.

The undated pictures have no captions but were released in a document of 100 pages of photographs, and also appear to show Andrew touching the woman’s abdomen. Another unidentified person’s feet can be seen up on a table in the background. 

While the context remains unknown, California congressman Ted Lieu asked for the images to be shown at the House Judiciary Committee in Washington DC yesterday.

He made the claim about the woman being a sex trafficking victim while questioning US Attorney General Pam Bondi over why Andrew has never been prosecuted.

His comments came on the same day that British former prime minister Gordon Brown urged police to interview Andrew as part of a new investigation into Epstein.

Also in the UK, ex-victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird urged police to ‘start properly investigating’ Andrew; while the MP who heads the Commons Women and Equalities Committee said Andrew must answer to the police and Parliament.

At this week’s hearing in the US, Mr Lieu said: ‘I’m going to show you two photos of former Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew attended various parties with Jeffrey Epstein.

‘Under the law Congress passed, you were allowed to redact photos to protect the victims of Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. You redacted the photos of this victim’s face because you were following the congressional law, is that correct?’

Ms Bondi replied: ‘I’m sorry, that we redacted the victim’s face?’ Mr Lieu told her: ‘Because you were following the congressional law, correct?’ Ms Bondi said: ‘Yes.’

Mr Lieu continued: ‘You have now established that we – please put the photos back up – that we are looking at a sex trafficking victim. 

‘Under the federal Victims Trafficking Protection Act, not only is Jeffrey Epstein guilty, but anyone who patronises Epstein’s sex operation is also guilty of a crime.

‘That’s why I find it absolutely despicable that you sought to protect Epstein’s clients, like former Prince Andrew. Last July, you closed the case on Epstein’s abusers.

‘The July 2025 memo from your Department of Justice stated: “We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties”.

‘These two photos – please put the photos back up – these two photos staring you in the face are evidence of a crime, and more than enough evidence to predicate an investigation against former Prince Andrew.

‘So I ask you, Attorney General Pam Bondi, why did you shut down this investigation last July? And why have you not prosecuted former Prince Andrew?’

But Ms Bondi replied: ‘I don’t believe you asked Merrick Garland these questions when he was Attorney General and sat before you twice, did you? Never mentioned it.’

Mr Lieu said: ‘I agree with you. During the during the Biden administration, I called for people looking at Epstein files. Merrick Garland dropped the ball as did Attorney General Bill Barr, as did Alex Acosta, a whole string of failures, but you are in charge.

‘You have the power to change things to hold these men accountable, and you’re doing the opposite, you’re protecting them.’

It is not known whether Mr Lieu has had special insight on the Epstein investigations, but some US politicians are understood to have viewed unredacted files.

The Department of Justice, which published more than three million documents relating to Epstein in the latest release, has never brought charges against Andrew.

Many women connected to Epstein have previously been described by the US as sex trafficking victims under law – but this characterisation had never been given to the woman in the Andrew photos until yesterday’s hearing.

There is no suggestion of criminal activity from the pictures themselves, and Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.