Balmoral Boycott: Prince William Considering Summer Getaway With Kate Middleton Over Annual Royal Holiday Tradition to Avoid Prince Andrew
Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, to reportedly skip annual vacation at Balmoral Castle for a summer getaway of their own in bid to avoid Prince Andrew.
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, could potentially skip King Charles III's annual invite to vacation at Balmoral Castle if Prince Andrew is already there.
"I'm sure William and Catherine will want to go up with some friends for the Glorious Twelfth, and I suspect Andrew would like to go for a few days shooting as well," a source told an outlet when pointing out the popular hunting event in the Scottish Highlands. "Charles has seemed happy to allow Andrew his family days at the royal shoots, and I am sure that will continue."
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to find the Duke of York to be "creepy", allegedly, and much prefer the company of either Princess Anne or Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
Last summer, which was the first Balmoral sojourn with Charles III wearing the Crown, may have seen the monarch purposefully plant Andrew in William and Kate, Princess of Wales' car to capitalize on the duo's popularity.
In a bid to use the Wales' to boost Andrew's image, the monarch reportedly "overruled" William's pushback and commanded "the family to fall in line in welcoming the disgraced Duke of York back into the family fold," royal expert Russell Myers told an outlet in August 2023.
The carefully orchestrated maneuver was captured by photographers. The Prince and Princess of Wales were driving into Balmoral Castle as guests of the King, but all eyes quickly focused on the Duke of York in the passenger seat next to his nephew. Kate was sitting in the back with a curious expression on her face that some registered as "discomfort" at the situation.
Amid the controversy, some insiders stepped forward to throw cold water on the reactions. "He is part of the family. He is the king’s brother. He has not been found guilty of any crime, and I think it’s fair to say that the king is making it clear that he won’t turn his back on his brother," a friend of King Charles' spilled to a publication.
The news was surprising to many observers since the King had been bogged down in a long-running feud with his brother over Royal Lodge, which still rages on one year later. The monarch is also understood to have been a strong advocate for removing his sibling from royal duties after his ties with Jeffrey Epstein became a scandal.
The British monarch and their consort typically spend late July to early October at the private estate near the village of Ballater close to the Highlands. This royal vacation has persisted since the early reign of Queen Victoria in the mid-nineteenth century when she and Prince Albert purchased the vast estate.
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GBN reported on the insider revelation.
