Some of the biggest scandals the British Royal Family has weathered over the years
The British royal family became tabloid fixtures in the late 20th century, and they continue to dominate headlines today. While the days of Charles and Diana drama have come to an end, that doesn’t mean the royals have stopped making headlines.
In fact, royal family drama predates the tabloid era by decades – even centuries – and we still haven’t seen the end of it. Here are some of the most salacious royal scandals of the past century or so.
The King Who Gave Up the Crown for Love
Edward VIII’s reign lasted just 325 days before he abdicated in December 1936. The reason was his determination to marry Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who had already been divorced and was going through a second divorce. The prospect of Simpson becoming queen created a constitutional and political crisis, with the Church of England and governments across the Empire opposed to the match.
Edward ultimately chose Simpson over the throne, declaring in a radio broadcast that he could not carry out his responsibilities without the woman he loved. They married in France in 1937 and remained together until Edward’s death in 1972. His abdication transformed the succession, bringing his younger brother Albert to the throne as George VI.
Princess Margaret’s Forbidden Romance
Princess Margaret’s relationship with Peter Townsend became one of the monarchy’s great romantic dramas. Townsend was a Royal Air Force officer and equerry who worked closely with the royal household. The pair fell in love, but there was a major obstacle: Townsend was married. When he divorced in 1953 and proposed to Margaret, their potential marriage collided with the religious and constitutional rules of the time.
The couple eventually abandoned their plans in 1955. Margaret’s predicament was especially awkward because her uncle Edward VIII had recently surrendered the throne rather than give up his own relationship with a divorced woman. The romance became a powerful example of how royal marriages were once constrained by tradition, religion and dynastic expectations.
Margaret’s Marriage Ends in Royal Divorce
After her relationship with Townsend ended, Princess Margaret married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. Their wedding was a major television event, but the glamour surrounding it eventually gave way to reports of marital difficulties. Public disagreements, extended periods apart and intense media scrutiny turned the couple’s private troubles into a continuing source of royal headlines.
They separated in 1976 and divorced in 1978. The breakdown was significant because royal divorce remained deeply unusual at the time. Margaret’s marriage had begun with enormous public interest and ended amid equally intense fascination, reinforcing the impression that even the royal family’s most private relationships could become matters of national discussion.
Diana’s “Squidgygate” Phone Scandal
In 1992, a private telephone conversation involving Princess Diana and James Gilbey was published by the media. Gilbey repeatedly used the nickname “Squidgy” while speaking affectionately to Diana, giving the episode its unforgettable tabloid nickname: “Squidgygate.” The publication of the conversation caused a sensation because Diana was still married to then-Prince Charles.
Diana later confirmed that the conversation was genuine but rejected the suggestion that it demonstrated an adulterous relationship. That distinction is important: while the recording itself was authentic, claims about the precise nature of their relationship were disputed. The scandal nevertheless became another painful episode during the collapse of Charles and Diana’s marriage.
“Camillagate” Exposes Charles’s Private Life
Diana was not the only royal whose intimate conversations became public in 1992. A recording involving Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles was published by an Australian magazine, revealing a remarkably personal exchange between the pair. The conversation fueled existing speculation that their relationship was romantic and became known as “Camillagate.”
The scandal was particularly damaging because both Charles and Camilla were married to other people. Charles and Diana announced their separation later that year, and their marriage was formally dissolved in 1996. Charles and Camilla eventually married in 2005, transforming a relationship once associated with scandal into the partnership that would ultimately lead to Camilla becoming queen consort.
Diana’s Explosive Panorama Interview
Princess Diana’s 1995 BBC interview became one of the most consequential royal broadcasts ever transmitted. Speaking to journalist Martin Bashir, she discussed the pressures of royal life, her struggles with mental health and eating disorders, Charles’s relationship with Camilla and her own affair with James Hewitt. Her famous description of her marriage as having “three people” captured the public mood surrounding the royal breakdown.
The interview later became embroiled in its own scandal. A 2021 inquiry found that Bashir had behaved deceitfully in obtaining the interview, including using false documents to influence Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer. The BBC apologized, while the controversy raised fresh questions about how the interview had been secured and whether Diana had been manipulated.
Princess Anne’s Secret Letters
Princess Anne’s marriage to Olympic equestrian Mark Phillips became increasingly troubled during the 1980s. In 1989, a British newspaper obtained stolen private letters written to Anne by Timothy Laurence, a Royal Navy officer who served as one of her equerries. Although the contents were not publicly released, newspapers described the correspondence as highly intimate, immediately creating a new royal scandal.
Anne and Phillips announced their divorce in 1992, and she subsequently married Laurence. Unlike some royal relationships that became prolonged media spectacles, the pair remained together. The episode nevertheless illustrated how even private correspondence could become explosive when it involved a senior royal and a member of the household staff.
Fergie’s Infamous Toe-Licking Photos
Sarah Ferguson’s marriage to Prince Andrew was already under intense scrutiny when photographs from a 1992 holiday caused an international sensation. Paparazzi images showed Ferguson with American financial adviser John Bryan, including one photograph that appeared to show Bryan kissing or licking her foot. The image was splashed across British newspapers and became one of the most memorable royal tabloid photographs of the era.
The timing was especially damaging. Andrew and Ferguson separated that same year, while Charles and Diana also announced their separation. Ferguson and Andrew eventually divorced in 1996, although they remained close. The photographs became shorthand for the extraordinary level of intrusion that members of the royal family faced from Britain’s aggressive tabloid press.
Fergie’s Half-Million-Pound Access Deal
Sarah Ferguson found herself at the center of another scandal years after her divorce. In 2010, a News of the World reporter posing as a businessman secretly recorded a meeting in which Ferguson appeared to agree to provide access to her former husband in return for money. The reported sum was £500,000, and the recording was subsequently released to the media.
Ferguson later apologized and described the episode as a serious lapse in judgment. The incident was particularly embarrassing because Andrew was still a senior royal figure, meaning the apparent offer raised questions about whether royal access could be commercially exploited. Unlike many royal controversies, this one rested on an actual recorded sting rather than anonymous claims or tabloid speculation.
Prince Harry’s One-Day Rehab Visit
In 2002, reports emerged that a teenage Prince Harry had been sent to a rehabilitation clinic after admitting to his father that he had used cannabis. Harry was 17 and spent only a day at Featherstone Lodge in London. The palace said the purpose was educational: he was meant to understand the possible consequences associated with drug use.
The story became a national talking point largely because of Harry’s age and his status as a member of the royal family. It was also a reminder that royal children could become tabloid stories long before reaching adulthood. In this case, the palace presented the brief visit as an intervention intended to discourage further experimentation rather than as treatment for a prolonged addiction.
The Las Vegas Strip-Billiards Scandal
Harry generated another worldwide scandal in 2012 when photographs of him naked at a private Las Vegas party were published by The Sun. The images had reportedly been taken by another guest during a game of strip billiards in his hotel suite and subsequently leaked to the newspaper.
The episode was embarrassing rather than criminal, but it became a major royal story because Harry was then a serving military officer and one of the most recognizable members of the family. Anonymous accounts about the party also claimed that photographs were being taken openly, although those accounts should be treated as allegations rather than independently established fact.
Kate’s Topless Holiday Photos
In 2012, photographs of Catherine, then known as Kate Middleton, sunbathing topless at a private holiday property in France were published by the French magazine Closer. The images had been taken from a distance while William and Kate were staying at a private residence belonging to the Queen’s nephew. The publication provoked a fierce debate over privacy and press intrusion.
William and Kate pursued legal action against the publisher, arguing that the photographs had been taken without their permission in a private setting. In 2017, a French court ordered the magazine’s publisher to pay damages of €100,000, roughly $118,000 at the time cited by the source. The case underscored how far the royal couple were prepared to go to protect their private lives.
Thomas Markle’s Staged-Paparazzi Photo Fiasco
Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, became a major distraction in the days before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. Photographs purportedly showing him preparing for the wedding and being measured for a suit had been arranged with a photographer. Their staged nature was subsequently exposed, intensifying the already strained relationship between father and daughter.
Thomas ultimately did not attend the wedding. The explanation initially centered on his health after he suffered a heart attack, while the family relationship continued deteriorating afterward. He later gave interviews to British tabloids discussing his daughter and son-in-law, turning a private family dispute into a continuing public saga.
Andrew’s Friendship With Jeffrey Epstein
Prince Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein became a serious problem for the monarchy long before the scandal reached its peak. Andrew had maintained a friendship with the American financier and convicted sex offender, including after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for a sex offense involving a minor. In 2011, Andrew stepped down as the UK’s trade envoy amid mounting criticism over the relationship.
The resignation did not end the controversy. Andrew’s continued association with Epstein became increasingly difficult for the royal household to defend as more details about Epstein’s activities emerged. The episode eventually developed into the most serious scandal of Andrew’s public life, with later allegations leading to the end of his working royal career.
The Disastrous BBC Interview
In November 2019, Andrew attempted to explain his relationship with Epstein in a BBC Newsnight interview. Instead, the appearance became a public-relations disaster. Andrew discussed his contact with Epstein and addressed allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, who said she had been forced to have sex with him when she was 17. Andrew denied the allegations.
Four days after the broadcast, Andrew announced that he would step back from royal duties. His decision followed widespread criticism of the interview and the damage it caused to his public standing. The allegations against him were not proven in a criminal trial, and Andrew denied them, but the interview dramatically changed the royal family’s handling of his public role.
Meghan Wins Her Privacy Battle
Meghan Markle sued Associated Newspapers after the Mail on Sunday published portions of a private letter she had written to her father. Her legal action alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and a breach of data-protection law. The case became another major confrontation between the Sussexes and the British press.
In 2021, Meghan won the privacy claim. The ruling became an important victory in her increasingly contentious relationship with British newspapers, which Harry and Meghan repeatedly accused of intrusive and hostile coverage. The publisher sought permission to appeal, but a judge rejected its initial application, leaving the original judgment intact at that stage.
Harry and Meghan Walk Away From Royal Duties
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they intended to step back as senior working members of the royal family. They said they wanted to become financially independent while continuing to support Queen Elizabeth II, and proposed dividing their time between the United Kingdom and North America.
The announcement caught the royal institution off guard and triggered complicated negotiations over titles, funding, security and future responsibilities. The couple completed their final official royal engagement in March 2020 before establishing their new life in California. The episode quickly acquired the nickname “Megxit,” reflecting how dramatically the relationship between the Sussexes and the institution had changed.
The Oprah Interview Rocks the Palace
Harry and Meghan’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey transformed their family dispute into an international spectacle. Meghan described severe emotional distress and said she had experienced suicidal thoughts. She also alleged that there had been conversations within the royal family about how dark her unborn child’s skin might be, while Harry discussed financial support and his deteriorating relationship with his father.
The palace responded cautiously, saying the family was saddened to learn how difficult the previous years had been and that the issues raised, particularly those concerning race, were troubling. The statement also stressed that some recollections might differ. The claims made during the interview remain claims attributed to Harry and Meghan, rather than findings independently established by the palace.
The Palace’s Meghan Bullying Investigation
Just before Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview aired, Buckingham Palace announced an investigation into allegations that Meghan had bullied members of the royal staff. The Times had reported claims involving two senior employees, prompting the palace to say it was concerned and that its human-resources team would examine the allegations.
Representatives for Harry and Meghan denied the allegations and characterized them as part of a campaign designed to undermine the couple before their television interview. The dispute became especially controversial because critics questioned why the palace was investigating these allegations while there had been no publicly announced equivalent investigation into Andrew’s relationship with Epstein. Claims of institutional double standards were themselves matters of debate, not established findings.
Andrew Loses His Titles and Patronages
Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in 2021, alleging that Epstein had trafficked her to him for intimate encounters when she was 17. Andrew denied the allegations. After a US judge rejected his attempt to have the case dismissed, Buckingham Palace announced that his military affiliations and royal patronages were being returned to the Queen.
Andrew subsequently faced the case as a private citizen rather than as a working royal. In 2022, he and Giuffre reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum, without Andrew admitting liability. The settlement ended the civil lawsuit but did not erase the reputational damage caused by the allegations and the wider Epstein scandal.
Andrew Faces a New Police Investigation
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office as police investigated allegations concerning his past relationship with Epstein and the handling or sharing of confidential information. He was released after several hours, and the investigation remained ongoing. The allegations had not been proven at the time of his arrest.
The development represented a remarkable escalation in a scandal that had already cost Andrew his working royal role and titles. King Charles said the law should take its course and emphasized that the family supported the proper legal process. Because the police investigation is ongoing, conclusions about Andrew’s criminal liability would be premature.
The Palace Intruder Who Reached the Queen’s Bedroom
In 1982, Michael Fagan breached security at Buckingham Palace and reached Queen Elizabeth II’s bedroom while she was asleep. The extraordinary incident exposed serious weaknesses in the security surrounding the monarch. Fagan managed to enter the palace and eventually found his way to the Queen’s private quarters before the alarm was raised.
The breach became one of the most extraordinary security failures in modern royal history. Fagan was eventually detained and later ordered to a psychiatric hospital. The episode was particularly embarrassing because it demonstrated that an intruder could penetrate one of the country’s most heavily protected residences and reach the monarch herself.
Windsor Castle Goes Up in Flames
November 20, 1992, delivered another devastating blow to the monarchy when a major fire tore through Windsor Castle. The blaze damaged or destroyed numerous rooms and became one of the defining disasters of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. The timing could hardly have been worse, as several of her children’s marriages were already collapsing under intense public scrutiny.
That year also brought the leaked Diana and Charles telephone conversations, royal marital breakdowns and growing criticism over the monarchy’s cost. By December, Elizabeth described 1992 as her “annus horribilis,” or horrible year. The phrase entered royal history because it neatly captured an extraordinary period of personal, financial and institutional turmoil.
Princess Anne Becomes the First Modern Royal Convicted
In 2002, Princess Anne became the first member of the British royal family in modern times to be convicted of a criminal offense. Her bull terrier, Dotty, had bitten two children in Windsor Great Park. Anne pleaded guilty to an offense under the Dangerous Dogs Act and was fined £500, along with compensation and court costs.
The case attracted attention precisely because Anne was such a senior member of the monarchy. The court treated her as it would any other defendant, while the dog was spared destruction and ordered to undergo training and remain on a lead. It was an unusually direct reminder that royal status did not place Anne beyond the reach of Britain’s criminal law.
Prince Philip’s “Slitty Eyes” Remark
Prince Philip developed a reputation for blunt and sometimes startling remarks, but one of his most controversial comments came during a 1986 visit to China. A palace official confirmed that Philip had told a British student that spending too long in China could result in him returning with “slitty eyes,” a remark widely condemned as racially insensitive.
The episode attracted international attention because the comment was made during an official overseas tour. Philip did not retract the remark in the immediate aftermath, instead criticizing the students who had repeated it to reporters. His reputation for off-the-cuff humor continued throughout his life, but this particular comment remains one of the most frequently cited examples of the controversies surrounding his public persona.
Charles’s “Black Spider Memos” Cause a Constitutional Debate
For years, Prince Charles’s private correspondence with government ministers was kept out of public view. The letters eventually became known as the “black spider memos,” a reference to the handwriting and informal style associated with Charles’s communications. Critics argued that the correspondence raised questions about the political neutrality expected of a future monarch.
The Guardian fought a lengthy legal battle to obtain the documents, and in 2015 the Supreme Court cleared the way for their publication after rejecting the government’s attempt to keep them secret. The controversy was less about one sensational revelation than about a fundamental question: how actively should an heir to the throne communicate his views to ministers and influence public policy?
Princess Michael’s Controversial Blackamoor Brooch
In 2017, Princess Michael of Kent caused controversy when she wore a blackamoor brooch to Queen Elizabeth II’s Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. The jewelry depicted a Black figure, and critics argued that such imagery had bigoted and colonial associations. The timing attracted particular attention because Meghan Markle, who is biracial, was attending the event as Prince Harry’s fiancée.
A spokesperson for Princess Michael said the brooch had been a gift and had been worn many times previously. Nevertheless, the princess apologized for causing offense and indicated that she would not wear it again. The controversy was therefore centered on the symbolism and perceived insensitivity of the jewelry, rather than any established evidence that she intended to offend Meghan.
Charles’s Charity Faces “Cash-for-Honours” Questions
In 2021, allegations surrounding the Prince’s Foundation created an uncomfortable new controversy for then-Prince Charles. Reports claimed that intermediaries had offered access and honours in connection with donations to the charity. The Metropolitan Police later investigated possible offenses under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act, while Clarence House said Charles had no knowledge of any alleged offer of honours or British citizenship in exchange for donations.
The scandal was particularly awkward because it revived a familiar concern about the relationship between wealth, royal access and influence. Charles himself was not accused of personally arranging a sale of honours, and the allegations should not be presented as established fact. The controversy instead centered on claims involving people connected to his charitable operation and questions about how access to the future king was handled.
The Royal Family’s Endless Battle With the Press
Perhaps the most persistent scandal surrounding the modern monarchy has been its turbulent relationship with the British media. From secretly recorded telephone calls and stolen letters to intrusive photographs and televised revelations, members of the royal family have repeatedly found their private lives turned into national entertainment. Diana’s experiences became the most dramatic example, but Harry, Meghan, William and Kate have all faced intense press scrutiny.
The tension has produced both legal battles and arguments over press freedom. Harry and Meghan have repeatedly criticized tabloid practices, while William and Kate successfully pursued legal action over the publication of private photographs. The result is a complicated legacy: the monarchy depends heavily on public visibility, yet many of its biggest scandals have arisen when journalists crossed the boundary between public interest and private life.
