The late Queen Elizabeth II was famously a “monarch of few words,” preferring to handle internal family crises with a quiet, steely diplomacy. But even by her standards, the way she handled a shocking physical altercation between Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and a senior Palace official was a masterclass in royal damage control.
This startling revelation was shared by renowned royal author Robert Hardman during a live recording of HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast. Speaking at an exclusive HELLO! VIP event, Robert – author of the acclaimed biography Elizabeth II – detailed a “kinetic” encounter that left the entire household in a state of disbelief.
A “kinetic blow” behind palace walls
The incident involved the Master of the Household, Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, a distinguished Falklands veteran responsible for the massive task of running the Palace staff and catering. According to Hardman, the tension erupted when Andrew requested a room for his “Pitch@Palace” project.
When Sir Tony informed the former Prince that the rooms were fully booked, Andrew allegedly refused to take no for an answer. “We didn’t quite know whether it was a punch, but we know it was much more than a push,” Robert told the live audience. “It was described to me as a ‘kinetic blow.’ Prince Andrew hit the Vice Admiral.”
WATCH: The late Queen’s grand gesture to royal aide who was dealt a physical blow from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
The Palace reaction
The fallout was immediate. “Everyone was appalled,” Robert explained. While senior figures, including the then-Prince of Wales and the Lord Chamberlain, Earl Peel, tried to shield the Queen from the news to avoid upsetting her, the situation eventually reached a head.
The Lord Chamberlain was forced to confront the Prince directly, telling him: “You will not treat anybody like that ever again.” Even Prince Philip stepped in, writing a formal letter of apology to the Admiral.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesAndrew’s physical altercation sent waves through the royal household – but the Queen’s response was masterful
The Queen’s masterful response
When the news was finally relayed to the Queen, her reaction was telling. Rather than expressing shock, she reportedly responded with a weary: “That’s the sort of thing he does.”
“She knew full well what he was like,” Robert noted. But the Queen’s real response wasn’t in what she said – it was in what she did. Dealing in “gestures” rather than public rebukes, the Queen’s response drew a line under the situation. Within months of the incident, she made the “grand gesture” of knighting Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, a move that sent a clear message to her son and the rest of the household.
© Alex IngramEmily Nash, Robert Hardman, Andrea Caamano and Emily Nash recorded a live podcast about the late Queen
© Alex IngramAudience members were treated to a luxury goodie bag at our event at Browns Covent Garden
This explosive story is just one of many “never-before-heard” insights shared by Robert Hardman during our special live recording. From the secret reason the Queen stopped her world travels to the reality of her “nervous exhaustion” in 1969, the full conversation is essential viewing for any royal follower.
How to watch the podcast episode
Watch the full episode of HELLO!’s special live A Right Royal Podcast episode below:
WATCH: A Right Royal Podcast live
Robert Hardman’s new book – Elizabeth II: In Private, In Public, The Inside Story – is published ahead of what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday.