Why is Andrew allegedly the Queen's "favourite son"?

[Stiffcondomhat]

I have read this a few times over the years and yesterday mentioned in most media outlets.
The Queen seems like a sensible sort with good judgement, and he has this reputation as a sleazy lazy twonk.
Of course I know from mn about the golden child syndrome who is actually pretty useless, but surely the Queen is above such things?
If anyone has any ideas on this I'd love to know because I'm stumped! (I'm also procrastinating because I'm on a deadline)

[CoolShoeshine]

I once heard on the tv it was because he had a different dad.

[sadpapercourtesan]

Why the hell would the Queen be "above such things"?

[TheAverageUser]

The Queen is just a mum when it comes to her children, she's not different. Just one of us

[Stiffcondomhat]

Because parents who indulge useless golden children tend to be dicks, and she doesn't seem like a dick.

[saraclara]

...and of course nobody knows this to be true. Probably one of those things that some lazy journalist came up with decades ago, and it spread from there.

Or maybe he's the one who's been nicest to his mum.

[SleepingStandingUp]

He wasn't always though. Once he would have been an adorable cheeky thing hanging off her skirts (or the royal equivalent).
I guess he was the first baby she had for fun. Charles was duty. Anne was back up. I remember similar comments about Katherine looking at Louis differently on some photos than the older ones for similar logic - she'd done duty and back up, and had one more just for the hell of it.

[Stiffcondomhat]

I guess he was the first baby she had for fun.

I had not considered this. Good point!

[Stiffcondomhat]

Edward would be my favourite. He's awesomely low key and married well.

[SophieKat1982]

She does seem sensible and she does seem like a mother who loves her children. I believe that she spent a lot of time overseas when her eldest 2 children were young because she was newish to the job and it was expected. I think she tried to be overseas a bit less when Andrew then Edward came along, having by then 4 children and being further into her reign.

I don’t believe she has favourites either, I think it’s just something people say.

[Liverbird77]

The rumour was that Andrew was Lord Porchester's son.

[ShippingNews]

I believe that when Charles and Anne were little, she was either away on extended overseas tours or at home and snowed under with her royal duties. The two oldest were basically brought up by nannies .

Then there was a 10 year gap before Andrew was born - in that time she had probably mellowed and also had become more used to her job . She was able to enjoy being a mother , and I believe that Andrew was fortunate to be the object of his mother's more relaxed attitude. He was probably quite cute and funny as a child so their relationship would have been a much happier one than she'd had with the previous children.

[Anotherhill]

How old are you OP?
Because when I was much younger Andrew was the good looking helicopter pilot fought for his country and seemed less stuffy and more fun than Charles. Obviously never met any of them but that was my teenage impression in the early 80s.

[Thoosa]

@CoolShoeshine

I once heard on the tv it was because he had a different dad.

Yes the allegation that surfaces sometimes is that he is the biological son of HMQ’s racing manager and friend “Porchie” link.

If so, Prince P was either oblivious or reconciled to it, because they named him after Philip’s dad. So, hmm.

Either way, Andrew’s arrival seems to have ended a long frosty episode in their marriage.

The same year Andrew was born, PP finally got his way in having his descendants be given the name Mountbatten-Windsor, which has been a none of contention for more than a decade.

[notacooldad]

Because parents who indulge useless golden children tend to be dicks, and she doesn't seem like a dick
I disagree. ( I don't think the queen is 'dick', !!) I know so many absolutely lovely mum's who unintentionally indulged a child with little boundaries or consequence from an early age that child became arrogant and entitled once they hit the preteen andteen years. Mum has been left bewildered thinking she has been nice to the child ' we gave him everything , why is he like this. I dont understand?'
In the case of prince Andrew it is possible that he has been indulged in his formative years but then had a load of people fawningviver him which would potentially give him a greater sense of arrogance.

[DeliriaSkibbly]

@Stiffcondomhat

Edward would be my favourite. He's awesomely low key and married well.

You mean his wife, Sophie 'Fake Sheikh' Wessex ? The one who was trying to cash in on her position ?

[Stiffcondomhat]

@Anotherhill I am 42. I do remember excitedly watching his and Fergies wedding actually. Maybe I'm being too reliant on hindsight.

[DeliriaSkibbly]

@notacooldad

Because parents who indulge useless golden children tend to be dicks, and she doesn't seem like a dick
I disagree. ( I don't think the queen is 'dick', !!) I know so many absolutely lovely mum's who unintentionally indulged a child with little boundaries or consequence from an early age that child became arrogant and entitled once they hit the preteen andteen years. Mum has been left bewildered thinking she has been nice to the child ' we gave him everything , why is he like this. I dont understand?'
In the case of prince Andrew it is possible that he has been indulged in his formative years but then had a load of people fawningviver him which would potentially give him a greater sense of arrogance.

He wasn't just indulged. He was rude and really horrible to staff at various royal residences and nothing was done to rein him in. I agree it's contributed to his greater sense of arrogance but who's to blame ? Oh, that would be his mother for not dealing with it.

[Stiffcondomhat]

Oh goodness I'd forgotten about the fake sheik biz. I clearly need to brush up on my Royals.

[velvetvixen]

There is a resemblance in that pic in the link, isn't there?

[Stiffcondomhat]

I would say so yes.

[Sarahlou63]

Hmmm. Looking at photos of Lord Porchester and Andrew there does seem to be a resemblance. There again, Harry is the spit of James Hewitt.

[Tree543]

The Queen and Prince Philip lived in Malta (before she became Queen) when Charles and Anne were very young. So maybe she had more of an attachment to Andrew early on as she wasn't living abroad when he was young.

[saraclara]

He wasn't just indulged. He was rude and really horrible to staff at various royal residences and nothing was done to rein him in. I agree it's contributed to his greater sense of arrogance but who's to blame ? Oh, that would be his mother for not dealing with it.

What a sexist view, @DeliriaSkibbly. He did have a father too.

[Lipsandlashes]

@CoolShoeshine

I once heard on the tv it was because he had a different dad.

I heard that too. Wasn’t he the Queen’s horse trainer or something? He was depicted in the Crown. I read an article on it showing side-by-side photos with Andrew.