Expert Claims Prince William and King Charles Are Locked in a 'Power Struggle' Over One Thing

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.

King Charles was joined by his brother, Prince Andrew, for Easter celebrations on April 20. While they appeared to be on good terms, the King is reportedly at a ‘power struggle’ with his son, Prince William, who skipped the event this year. Royal expert Russell Myers believes that Charles and William have an ongoing tiff over Andrew’s potential return to royal duties following his Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Prince Andrew infamously stepped back from royal duties in November 2019, ‘for the foreseeable future.’ His decision, which was approved by the late Queen, came after his association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking to The Mirror, Myers said, “But when the King decided after the Queen's death, he was going to be brought back into the family fold, William said absolutely not, and the King overruled him.” The expert added, “So we have this sort of interesting power struggle going on, and I imagine you know that hopefully in a long time in the future when William is King, he [Andrew] will be nowhere to be seen around the family.”

As per reports, William was instrumental in Andrew’s banishment from royal life after his disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight. In the interview, Andrew described Epstein’s actions as ‘unbecoming’ and said his home was just a ‘convenient place to stay.’ In light of the same, a source also told The Mirror, “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[Andrew].” William and his three children instead spent Easter with Kate Middleton’s parents.

Back in 2023, the King overruled William’s concerns and also invited Andrew to Balmoral to spend time with him and his extended family. However, the Duke of York soon incurred the wrath of Charles over his refusal to vacate his 30-room Royal Lodge mansion. A senior royal source said, “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.” Meanwhile, it is reported that Andrew has told close friends he is 'going nowhere'. He allegedly also told Charles and the Crown Estate, who own Royal Lodge, that he has a 'cast iron lease.'

Andrew’s controversial ties to Epstein surfaced after his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, accused him of engaging in inappropriate relations with her when she was underage. She claimed they met at Epstein's residence. In December 2024, Andrew was also allegedly linked to a suspected Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo. As reported by The Independent, a source revealed, “The King has been briefed about this situation regarding the suspected Chinese spy and is very aware of what has been and what is being done about it.” New court documents also suggest that Charles had met with Andrew regarding business dealings with the alleged spy.

If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)