Royal biographer reveals shocking details about Prince Philip affair

Royal circles are abuzz following explosive new claims from historian and author Andrew Lownie about Prince Philip. 

The historian alleges that the late Prince had a romantic relationship with Susan Barrantes—the mother of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York—long before she became his daughter-in-law.

The claim, which is made at the very beginning of Lownie's new biography of Prince Andrew, sets a provocative scene from the 1986 royal wedding. 

According to Lownie, as crowds cheered the newlyweds, "the father of the groom and mother of the bride - lovers 20 years earlier - sat in the third carriage waving." 

The author presents the affair as a fact, not hedging his words with qualifiers like "alleged" or "rumoured."

The book asserts that the relationship began after Barrantes became "exasperated" with the infidelity of her first husband, Major Ronald Ferguson, who was also a friend of Prince Philip's.

Lownie insists he has known of the affair for decades, citing a personal connection through his wife, Angela. She grew up near the Fergusons in Ascot and, according to Lownie, heard the story firsthand.

While former Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed the allegations as "just gossip" on GB News, Lownie has stood by his claims in multiple media appearances, stating that his sources were both trusted and well-placed within royal circles.

Ronald Ferguson himself hinted at his suspicions in his 1994 memoir, The Galloping Major, writing, "I always suspected that Prince Philip had an eye for Susie. Certainly, they remain friends to this day." 

His remark, though understated, carried a note of bitterness given his own rocky marriage.

This story adds to a long history of speculation about Prince Philip's social and romantic life, which has often been fueled by his well-documented interest in the company of women and his undeniable charisma. 

Although the Duke of Edinburgh denied such rumors throughout his lifetime, this latest account reignites a public debate over the private realities behind Britain's most prominent family.