Prince William is reportedly ‘deeply unhappy’ and ‘upset’ over the deal struck last week that allowed Prince Andrew to voluntarily stop using his royal titles but didn’t officially strip him of them, according to royal author Tom Sykes, editor of The Royalist on Substack.
“William is deeply unhappy with what he sees as a bodged agreement on Andrew—he wants him out, and he is likely to do this as soon as he can,” Sykes told outlets. “Almost as soon as he becomes King, William is planning to formally banish Andrew from the Royal Family.”
The Duke of Cambridge’s frustration is said to stem not only from the leniency of the agreement but also from Andrew’s continued presence in royal circles. At the funeral of the Duchess of Kent last month, William was seen apparently ignoring Andrew’s attempts to speak with him.
Sources say one of William’s first actions as monarch could be to use “letters patent,” a legal tool that allows the sovereign to formally remove royal titles. These could then be ratified by Parliament in the early weeks of his reign. The move could also extend to Andrew’s living situation, as William is reportedly considering ways to have him leave Royal Lodge, the 30-bedroom Windsor mansion he currently occupies just four miles from William’s future home with his young family.
Andrew’s public life has been largely curtailed since his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, making any attempt at rehabilitation within the royal family “too toxic,” Sykes explained. Sykes also suggested William may use letters patent to reshape the monarchy more broadly, taking inspiration from the “Danish model” of a slimmed-down royal family. “As King, William would immediately strip Prince Andrew of his title,” Sykes said. “But he might also consider removing titles from others.”
Royal commentator Robert Jobson echoed this, saying, “It’s no secret that William abhors his uncle and does not want him anywhere near his family, either publicly or privately.” Jobson added that while a smaller royal family may be more popular with the public, it could create “awkwardness and bad feeling” for those affected.
Eff William and all the royal pains in the ass!