Prince Andrew's claim that the British royal family is banned from playing Monopoly due to its 'vicious' nature has been verified as accurate. The Duke of York made this statement in 2008 during a visit to Leeds Building Society's headquarters, where he was presented with a special edition of the board game ahead of Christmas.

According to The Telegraph, Andrew remarked, 'We're not allowed to play Monopoly at home. It gets too vicious,' though he did not elaborate on what games they play instead. The comment came during a period when Andrew was still actively representing the royal family in public engagements. The anecdote resurfaced recently following his February 2026 arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his ties with Jeffrey Epstein.

While it remains unclear whether this Monopoly ban was an official family rule or simply Andrew's personal observation, the statement was reported without any indication he was joking. The royal family's competitive nature during game nights has become a recurring topic in media coverage of their private lives, with similar anecdotes emerging about other family members' gaming habits.