A source has claimed that the ‘tense’ relationship between Prince William and his uncle has partly being caused by the Duke of York making ‘rude’ comments about Princess Kate
Prince William’s ‘tense’ relationship with his uncle Prince Andrew has been partly caused by the Duke of York allegedly making ‘rude’ comments about his wife Kate, according to an explosive new biography.
The book, ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks’, makes a number of allegations about the Duke and Duchess of York’s’ “hedonistic life, controversial friendships and secretive money-making endeavours”, while also making claims about tensions within the royal family.
According to a source who spoke to the biography’s author Andrew Lownie, there has been friction between William and Andrew for years, which began when the disgraced Duke’s actions started to impact the public’s view of the Firm.
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The source claimed that Andrew had been “rude” about Kate, but did not clarify what comments had been made about the Princess of Wales.
The book, seen by The Mirror, also alleged that William has been trying for years to get Prince Andrew, along with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, evicted from the Royal Lodge: the 30-room mansion the couple occupy on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
According to the unnamed source, William believes that Andrew is not maintaining the property as it has fallen into a state of disrepair over the last year.
The source is quoted in the bombshell book, saying: “He [William] also loathes Sarah, Andrew’s ex-wife, and can’t wait for the day when his father throws them both out. If Charles doesn’t, I guarantee you the first thing William does when he eventually becomes king is to get them evicted.”
Rumours of the tension between Prince William and Prince Andrew have long swirled. Earlier this year, Andrew attended the royal family’s Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel.
William, Kate and their three children did not attend the service, as they instead chose to extend their break in Norfolk having just returned from a family skiing holiday.
Royal sources at the time claimed that William is reluctant to spend time with his uncle Andrew at family gatherings, after the Duke heaped shame on himself and the institution in recent years. The Prince of Wales was instrumental in Andrew’s banishment from royal life, after his disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019 which exposed his relationship with the late billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
A royal source said at the time: “William has no time for his uncle. This Easter was about spending time with his own family, but he would far prefer a situation where he doesn’t have to spend time with him.” The source went on to claim that Andrew’s relationship with Prince William, and also with King Charles, remains “incredibly strained”.
A senior royal source added: “The Duke seems to be in the habit of being a significant contributor of headaches for the family and many have run out of patience with him.”
The Mirror has reached out to Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace for comment.
‘Entitled’ by Andrew Lownie (William Collins, £22), to be published August 14.