Royal Family scandals: The biggest scandals in British royal family history revealed

The British Royal Family has had its fair share of drama, most recently with the addition of Meghan Markle to the family.

While the Duchess of Sussex has fitted in seamlessly, her transition hasn’t been without its problems, with her father Thomas Markle and estranged half-siblings regularly speaking out against Meghan and the Royals.

But before the now-coined “Markle Debacle”, there were plenty of other much more scandalous, boat-rocking family dramas.

From toe licking, to revealing photos to secret love children, the Royal Family has certainly had its share of drama.

Royal Family scandals: The biggest scandals in the British Royal Family revealed

Fergie’s foot fetish

They may be on great terms now, but Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew once when through a rather messy divorce. 

In 1992 the Palace announced Fergie and Andrew’s separation, after the Prince’s long-distance navy career caused strain on their relationship.

However, it was something surprisingly scandalous that broke down the couple’s relationship even more.

Fergie was photographed with her toes in the mouth of Texan financial advisor John Bryan while wearing a bikini and lounging in the sun. The photographs showed the two kissing and canoodling in their swimwear.

Speaking to CNN in 2002, People magazine senior editor Anne-Marie O’Neill commented on the scandal: “The tabloids had such a good time with it that it really was the first time that the Royal Family was opened up to such ridicule.”

Princess Anne’s husband’s secret love child

Princess Anne, the Queen’s only daughter, married Lieutenant Mark Phillips in front of 500 million people in 1973.

Royal family scandals: Top scandals revealed

The British Royal Family has had its fair share of drama over the last century (Image: Getty Images)

However, 12 years later Captain Mark went onto have an affair, fathering a secret love child with a New Zealand woman.

They separated in 1989 and divorced in 1992, with Anne then marrying a member of the household staff, Commodore Timothy Laurence.

Prince Harry’s nudes

Harry has always been known as the rogue, party animal of the Royal Family, having made many scandalous decisions including dressing up as a Nazi and admitting to smoking marijuana.

His party boy persona was cemented even more in 2012 when photos of him playing strip billiards in Las Vegas were published online and in The Sun.

Harry responded to the leaked photos, that showed the young prince with his trousers down, by saying: “I let myself down, I let my family down, I let other people down.”

Royal Family scandal: Princess Anne and Mark Philips

Princess Anne and Mark Philips divorced in 1992 after Mark’s affair (Image: Getty Images)

Royal Family scandal: Sarah Ferguson

Fergie was once photographed with her toes in the mouth of her lover, John Bryan (Image: Getty Images)

King Edward VIII abdication for love

Unlike Prince Harry, King Edward VIII was not allowed to marry his American, divorcee lover, Wallis Simpson.

Choosing love over his position as King, Edward abdicated, moving to the US and being shunned by his family, including Queen Elizabeth.

Years later FBI files suggested there was another reason for Edward’s abdication, that Wallis was a Nazi sympathiser and was passing information onto the Germans, although this was only a suspicion and has never been confirmed.

Princess Margaret’s married lover

Although the Queen’s sister ended up marrying magazine photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones, she first fell in love with a married member of the royal staff, Group Captain Peter Townsend.

Townsend was 16 years her senior, and the public eventually caught wind of their romance on Queen Elizabeth’s coronation day, when Margaret was seen flicking a piece of fluff off Peter’s uniform.

Royal Family scandals: Prince Harry

In his youth Prince Harry was known as the “Party Prince” (Image: Getty Images)

Royal Family scandal: Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones

Princess Margaret was forced to end her romance with Peter Townsend, marrying someone else (Image: Getty Images)

Although Peter filed for divorce, the Royal Family, Parliament and the Church of England opposed their marriage, despite public support for the couple.

The Queen was caught in the middle, and Margaret was told she would likely lose her royal privileges if she married him.

He was sent away to Brussels to work for the British Embassy and the princess went onto marry Anthony Armstrong-Jones.

Even today the Royal Family is far from being scandal-free, with Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle and her siblings regularly speaking out against them to the press.

Thomas Markle, 74, compared the Royal Family to scientologists in his latest attack.

He told the Sun: “They are either like Scientologists or the Stepford family. If they hear anybody say anything they just lock the doors. They need to speak up!