Many royal fans know about the feud between King Charles and his brother, Prince Andrew. They have reportedly been at odds for years. Some people think the 12-year age gap between them is a reason for their lack of closeness. Others believe that Charles was jealous of the attention Queen Elizabeth II gave to Andrew. When Charles was young, he was mostly raised by nannies, but by the time Andrew was born, their mother stayed home more often and was hands-on with Andrew. It was also widely known that the Duke of York was the late queen’s favorite child. Andrew was also jealous because Charles was set to be the future king.
While the rift between the brothers is well-known, not many people are aware that Prince William has also been feuding with his uncle Andrew for some time, and it involves the Princess of Wales (formerly Kate Middleton). William, along with other royal family members, was never happy about Prince Andrew’s ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the accusations by Virginia Giuffre, or his disastrous Newsnight interview. William reportedly holds a grudge against his uncle for another reason as well.
Royal commentator Richard Kay said that William’s displeasure with Andrew dates back to when he first started dating Kate. “William has long held a grudge against Andrew for being unwelcoming when he first introduced Kate Middleton to the royal family,” Kay said via the Daily Mail. William also “feels that his father has been too soft on Andrew,” referring to King Charles not being tougher on the Duke of York and not forcing him out of the Royal Lodge residence in Windsor.
Recent updates reveal that the tension over Royal Lodge has escalated. Andrew has a 75-year lease on the property, but King Charles wants him to move out due to the high maintenance costs and Andrew’s failure to keep up with necessary repairs. Despite Charles’s efforts to relocate Andrew to Frogmore Cottage, Andrew remains defiant, insisting on staying in the mansion, which costs over $500,000 annually to maintain.
Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, has also weighed in, suggesting that she prefers to stay out of the brothers’ disputes. However, the situation is increasingly untenable as Charles has reportedly been paying some of Andrew’s expenses since his annual allowance and police protection were removed following his step back from royal duties.
Royal expert Tom Quinn previously told The Mirror that evicting Andrew would “send a message that after disgracing himself, he can no longer expect to live in luxury. And, it would mean that a suitably grand residence can be ready for the royals who really matter — William and Kate. Charles is determined that Royal Lodge is the only residence on the royal estate at Windsor big and grand enough for his heir.”
However, it is not known if the Prince and Princess of Wales plan to move their family there or think it should go to other working royals like Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie. A friend of William’s told Kay, “One of the main reasons why the Waleses are so content at Adelaide Cottage, their current home in Windsor Great Park, is because it is a family house with no live-in staff. Moving into the vast Royal Lodge would mean having to accommodate domestic staff, something they have long resisted.”
