Prince William Faces Family Backlash Over Tough Stance on Uncle Andrew
The royal family is reportedly split over Prince William’s hard-line approach toward punishing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor following his alleged links to Jeffrey Epstein. Palace insiders claim tension inside Buckingham Palace has reached a boiling point as Mountbatten-Windsor’s exit from Royal Lodge draws closer, with several family members viewing the decision as excessively harsh toward the disgraced former prince. Matters have reportedly escalated to the extent that Prince William and Queen Camilla now find themselves increasingly isolated, as their firm push to hold Mountbatten-Windsor accountable puts them at odds with the rest of the family.
According to one insider, senior royals are openly feuding over the fallout, with Princess Anne and Prince Edward said to have challenged King Charles for what they believe is an unnecessarily severe approach toward his younger brother. "Anne has been vocal with both the King and William about Andrew's treatment, with Edward backing her to some extent. There are several arguments going on between Andrew and the King and between the King and the wider family – some of whom are convinced the King has treated his brother too harshly," revealed a source to the Daily Mail.
Sources also detailed that the King is already drowning in regret over stripping Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles and privileges and is blaming it on his son and his wife for coercing him. As per him, his brother is innocent until proven guilty. "It is easy to forget that Andrew has not been found guilty of anything, and he denies all allegations," said the insider. They also opined that the King is mopping up over his actions that might have hurt his brother.
"It doesn't fit well with the King to have to treat Andrew as harshly as he has to in the circumstances. William and Camilla take a harder line, which has caused a lot of family angst," elaborated the source. Reflecting upon the King's perspective, the insider highlighted, "The late Queen went to her grave believing in Andrew's innocence in the Epstein scandal," and "The King remains of the view that Andrew is innocent until proven guilty and has yet to see evidence that he is [guilty]."
While the King is divided over his punishment towards his brother, the damage is done, and Mountbatten-Windsor is set to move into Marsh Farm before Easter. The disgraced Prince is not at all happy with the prospect, but he has no options left. "He really didn't want Marsh Farm. Andrew won't have lived anywhere so small since he left his apartment at Buckingham Palace – and then he had free roam of the building and the grounds when he needed space," detailed a royal insider to the Scottish Daily Express.
Mountbatten-Windsor is almost a decade younger than Charles and Anne, and they are naturally protective of him. On top of that, he was the Queen's favorite child. No one in the family can turn against him, and reportedly, the royal siblings have always been close, making the situation all the more difficult for each one of them to see Mountbatten-Windsor get demoted and shunned.