Prince William plans to ‘banish' Prince Andrew from the royal family when he becomes King
Royal experts told Fox News Digital that when Prince William takes over the throne one day, he reportedly will swiftly address 'the Andrew problem' that has plagued the British royal family.
'Prince William has long had a strained and distant relationship with Andrew,' British royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital, noting that the Prince of Wales holds 'a grudge against his disgraced uncle.'
'Andrew's future within the royal family is beyond bleak, since Prince William is firmly opposed to any public rehabilitation with no foreseeable path back,' Fordwich claimed. 'He wants Andrew to vanish from public view.'
Fordwich's claims came shortly after longtime BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told Closer Weekly that the father of three is not interested in wasting time on the Duke of York following his sex scandal.
'William has been a strong voice in managing 'the Andrew problem' — he is adamant that there is no way back for his uncle,' Bond told the outlet.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
Andrew, once second-in-line to the throne, has been a constant source of tabloid fodder. It is said that the 65-year-old permanently damaged his reputation after he gave a disastrous interview to the BBC in 2019, which forced him to give up all royal duties.
Andrew gave the interview to address concerns about his ties to the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. His televised tell-all backfired when he failed to explain his continued contact with Epstein or show sympathy for his victims.
'William's strong stance on 'the Andrew problem' is consistent, unwavering and his influence has been decisive in ensuring Andrew remains sidelined,' said Fordwich. 'He is driven by his desire … to protect the monarchy's reputation, doing all he can to safeguard its future.'
'[William is] very in touch with the public,' Fordwich shared. 'Every public opinion poll has Andrew at the bottom, reinforcing Prince William's stance. Once king, no doubt, Prince William will ensure Andrew is completely excluded from royal life, as well as all public appearances.'
Bond noted to Closer Weekly that keeping the monarchy relevant is 'extremely important' to William, guaranteeing that there will never be a place for Andrew.
'I think [the Prince and Princess of Wales] are completely united in doing all they can to keep the monarchy connected with the younger generation,' said Bond. 'They look modern, they act modern.'
Following Andrew's nuclear interview, his late mother stripped him of his royal duties and charity roles. More recently, his brother, King Charles III, tried to persuade Andrew to cut his expenses by leaving his home, Royal Lodge, a sprawling royal estate, and instead, moving to a smaller cottage inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. However, Andrew remains ensconced in the 30-room Royal Lodge.
'Prince William's role within the royal family is more prominent and influential than ever, as is his centre stage position in diplomatic relations,' British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard explained to Fox News Digital.
'He recognises the public animosity towards Andrew,' said Chard. 'He views him as a complete liability with his series of scandals, both past and present, shovelling shame on the family. His stance towards his uncle is tough. He will not entertain anyone toxic to the brand. Andrew will not be part of the streamlined monarchy.'
'King Charles is said to be fed up with 'the Andrew problem,' although he has a softer approach to his brother as he is family,' Chard continued. 'Prince William, however, has never been a fan of his uncle. He has no time for him. Allegedly, he was also disappointed that Andrew did not welcome his wife into the family with open arms all those years ago.'
That grudge, Chard claimed, was unshakeable even before Andrew's relationship with Epstein came to light.
The 'Andrew Problem' has long been a source of friction for the royal family.
After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain's special representative for international trade and investment in 2001. However, he was forced to step down in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Andrew had also been criticised for meeting with the son of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Even before that, some members of Parliament had raised concerns about the sale of Andrew's former home, but Andrew's links to Epstein have been his biggest problem.
'Andrew has been an embarrassment for years and represents the worst, most entitled aspect of royalty,' royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claimed to Fox News Digital.
' … One of the problems with Andrew is that fresh embarrassments, most recently regarding an alleged Chinese spy and emails which indicated that he had further contact with Epstein after what was supposed to be a cut-off date, keep appearing.'
Fitzwilliams claimed that while the king, 76, 'may privately feel some sympathy' for his sibling, William 'has to be kept at arm's length.' For William, protecting the crown comes first above all, and there is no place for Andrew once he becomes king.
'His best future is well behind him,' said Fitzwilliams.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Europe hopes for 'no surprises' as US weighs force withdrawals
After keeping Donald Trump happy with a pledge to up defence spending at NATO's summit, Europe is now bracing for a key decision from the US president on the future of American forces on the continent. Washington is currently conducting a review of its military deployments worldwide -- set to be unveiled in coming months -- and the expectation is it will lead to drawdowns in Europe. That prospect is fraying the nerves of US allies, especially as fears swirl that Russia could look to attack a NATO country within the next few years if the war in Ukraine dies down. However, the alliance is basking in Trump's newfound goodwill following its June summit in The Hague, and his officials are making encouraging noises that Europe will not be left in the lurch. "We've agreed to no surprises and no gaps in the strategic framework of Europe," said Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO, adding he expected the review to come out in "late summer, early fall". "I have daily conversations with our allies about the process," he said. While successive US governments have mulled scaling back in Europe to focus more on China, Trump has insisted more forcefully than his predecessors that the continent should handle its own defence. "There's every reason to expect a withdrawal from Europe," said Marta Mucznik from the International Crisis Group. "The question is not whether it's going to happen, but how fast." When Trump returned to office in January many felt he was about to blow a hole in the seven-decade-old alliance. But the vibe in NATO circles is now far more upbeat than those desperate days. "There's a sanguine mood, a lot of guesswork, but the early signals are quite positive," one senior European diplomat told AFP, talking as others on condition of anonymity. "Certainly no panic or doom and gloom." - 'Inevitable' - The Pentagon says there are nearly 85,000 US military personnel in Europe -- a number that has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "I think it is inevitable that they pull out some of their forces," a second European diplomat told AFP. "But I don't expect this to be like a dramatic overhaul. I think it's going to be gradual. I think it's going to be based on consultations." Trump's first target is likely to be the troops left over from a surge ordered by his predecessor Joe Biden after Moscow's tanks rolled into Ukraine. Officials say relocating the rump of that 20,000-strong deployment would not hurt NATO's deterrence too much -- but alarm bells would ring if Trump looked to cut too deep into personnel numbers or close key bases. The issue is not just troop numbers -- the US has capabilities such as air defences, long-range missiles and satellite surveillance that allies would struggle to replace in the short-term. "The kinds of defence investments by Europe that are being made coming out of The Hague summit may only be felt in real capability terms over many years," said Ian Lesser from the German Marshall Fund think tank. "So the question of timing really does matter." - 'Inopportune moment' - Washington's desire to pull back from Europe may be tempered by Trump now taking a tougher line with Russia -- and Moscow's reluctance to bow to his demands to end the Ukraine war. "It seems an inopportune moment to send signals of weakness and reductions in the American security presence in Europe," Lesser said. He also pointed to Trump's struggles during his first term to pull troops out of Germany -- the potential bill for relocating them along with political resistance in Washington scuppering the plan. While European diplomats are feeling more confident than before about the troop review, they admit nothing can be certain with the mercurial US president. Other issues such as Washington's trade negotiations with the EU could rock transatlantic ties in the meantime and upend the good vibes. "It seems positive for now," said a third European diplomat. "But what if we are all wrong and a force decrease will start in 2026. To be honest, there isn't much to go on at this stage." del/ec/jxb/tc
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Three-second clip exposes Donald Trump's cheating on Scottish course
US President Donald Trump's 'exploits' on the golf course are going viral all over again. Trump is an avid golfer and has regularly made all sorts of claims about club championship victories and his overall ability on the course. The 79-year-old is in Scotland for a three-day tour, visiting his own Trump Turnberry course and Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire during the brief visit. In between rounds, he also joined European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen to announce the United States' 15 per cent tariff on all imports from the EU. But it is a moment from a caddy during Trump's time on the course on Sunday (Monday AEST) that has also gained plenty of attention. In the video you can see above, two caddies or on course officials in red vests are seen walking ahead of the president in his golf cart. One of them slows down before bending over and rather sheepishly dropping a ball onto the first cut of rough, a few feet short of a bunker and clear of the much thicker rough on the Scottish layout. Trump then gets out of his cart, club in hand, ready to hit his next shot. It was a moment that was jumped on by a huge number of people on social media. Author Richard Hanania tweeted the video along with the caption: 'Oh my God this is so pathetic. Trump's cronies drop the golf ball in front of him. He pretends to notice it at that spot. Today, MAGA influencers are tweeting out almost identical messages about his golf swing. We really are in North Korea.' US veteran John Jackson also noticed the incident, writing on X: 'Trump caught cheating at golf, watch the second guy in the red vest toss a ball behind him.' An X account called Wu Tang is for the Children also wrote: 'LMAO for the morons that think Trump doesn't cheat at golf and wins all those club championships fair and square … watch his caddie here.' Hundreds of X users were also commenting on the vision. American health professional Craig Beam said: 'I could get my index down considerably if I had his caddie with me every time I played.' One quipped: 'It is a known fact that had Trump played professional golf, he would have ranked above Tiger Woods and been the winningest golfer in history. Even at 80, with a little more practice, he could win on the Tour.' Another wrote: 'I love how the guy throws the ball back like he's trying to make it look as though he didn't put it there lol.' Another referenced a classic episode from The Simpsons, writing: 'That's what Smithers did for Montgomery Burns.' A fourth wrote: 'The Mystery of how Trump is winning all these golf tournaments solved.' As always with Trump's staunch base of supporters, there were also a number of comments keen to debunk the footage. While the body language of the caddy did appear somewhat damning, many were doing their best to insist it was a normal act out on the course. 'Please learn golf before you post. It's called a drop. Common in golf. He's actually a very good golfer. He doesn't need to cheat,' wrote one supporter. 'Assuming his ball was out of play or in the shrubs, his caddie was simply putting one out for him to play. Pretty standard,' stated a second. — Toph (@tophalba33) July 27, 2025 'Didn't see any ball dropping. Those fellows are secret service checking out the terrain before the cart arrives,' suggested another. 'When you lose a ball, you drop a new one with a penalty, that's kinda how golf works,' said a fourth. A fifth wrote simply: 'Amazing golf swing sir!' During the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Trump boasted about his latest club championship at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Shortly after claiming he weighed 215 pounds (97kg) and stood six-foot-three (190cm), dimensions that would put Trump's physical appearance alongside the likes of Muhammad Ali in his boxing prime and Tom Brady, he posted on his own Truth Social site that he had won the senior club championship. There is very little actual footage of Trump on the course, with one being a viral video of him badly shanking an attempted chip in July 2023 playing in Los Angeles (see below). In the Bedminster event, it wasn't just the claim of his victory that raised eyebrows, it was also his supposed score. Trump stated he shot a round of 67 at the course, which has a par score of 72. 'I am pleased to report, for those that care, that I just won the Senior Club Championship (must be over 50 years old!) at Bedminster (Trump National Golf Club), shooting a round of 67,' Trump posted. 'Now, some people will think that sounds low, but there is no hanky/lanky. Many people watch, plus I am surrounded by Secret Service Agents. 'Not much you can do even if you wanted to, and I don't. For some reason, I am just a good golfer/athlete – I have won many Club Championships, and it is always a great honour!' We understand 'hanky/lanky' was a typo when he meant hanky panky, which usually refers to somewhat inappropriate sexual activity. A score of five-under on most championship-level golf courses, which Trump National is, would please seasoned professionals. Trump then remarkably shared the contact details of the head golf professional from Bedminster, Mickey Gallagher, for anyone looking to verify his performance. Author and former sports columnist Rick Reilly also released a book back in 2019 titled Commander in Cheat: How golf explains Trump. During his round on Sunday, Trump's security team also debuted what appeared to be a heavily armoured golf cart 10 months after a would-be assassin aimed an SKS-style rifle toward him at his West Palm Beach tee resort. As the president played at the Trump Turnberry course in South Ayrshire, an imposing, apparently heavily fortified black vehicle followed close behind. Security experts said it showed all the hallmarks of an armour-reinforced golf cart in the mold of Trump's official limo, aka 'The Beast'. Trump drove a standard white golf cart as he played, but the bulky silhouette of the latest addition to his security fleet — which appears to be a modified Polaris Ranger XP — stood out like a sore thumb on the course. Stepped-up hardware to protect Trump on the golf course would not be unexpected given he survived a pair of assassination attempts last year. On September 15, Ryan Routh, 59, trained a rifle styled after a Soviet-designed semiautomatic at Trump's security detail as the president walked along the fifth hole at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida. Less than an hour later, Routh was apprehended during a traffic stop and charged with the attempted assassination of Trump. Two months earlier, Trump survived another assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, carried out by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
SBS Australia
6 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Top new series coming to SBS On Demand in August 2025
Series coming to SBS On Demand in July: The Shift - season 2 Sofie Gråbøl as Ella in The Shift. Credit: Henrik Ohsten In one of Denmark's busiest maternity wards, head of department Ella (Sofie Gråbøl) fights a daily battle to create the best possible conditions for both the expectant mothers and for her colleagues. But the midwives and the doctors are well worn-down, the department is understaffed and overburdened, and you cannot rush a woman in labour. Michael, the senior consultant, does not help matters along, as he has a budget to keep, the intern Vilhelm is being walked all over and the holistic midwife Tine is driving Ella insane. Together, the staff experience conflict and downfalls, traumas and triumphs, births and falling in love. One thing is for certain: No one, who passes through the maternity ward, leaves unchanged. The Shift S2-3 premieres Thursday 7 August on SBS On Demand. The Shift season 1 is now streaming. Marcella - seasons 1-3 Anna Friel as Marcella Backland in Marcella Marcella is a brand new crime drama from internationally renowned screenwriter and novelist Hans Rosenfeldt (The Bridge) . Set in contemporary London and starring Anna Friel, Marcella centers on the psychological struggles of a Metropolitan police officer at crisis point in her personal life, driven by rejection and intuition. Returning to the Met's Murder Squad after a 12-year career break, Marcella is a detective in her late 30s who gave up her fast-tracked role to marry and devote her life to starting a family. With the abrupt end to her marriage to the love of her life and isolated from her children at boarding school, Marcella returns to work – her sense of self shattered. She is immediately assigned to one of her old cases that she first worked on in 2003. A spate of recent killings has occurred, all carrying the same hallmarks as those unsolved murders committed over a decade ago. Has the killer re-appeared or is this a copycat murderer? How will Marcella cope with returning to duty when her own temperament is so fragile and vulnerable? Will throwing herself into her work provide the answers she's seeking or lead her dangerously into territory she must avoid at all costs? Marcella S1-3 premieres Saturday 9 August on SBS On Demand. Leonardo da Vinci A Ken Burns documentary series Leonardo Da Vinci A Ken Burns Documentary Series A fifteenth-century Italian polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, Leonardo da Vinci left behind artistic works of staggering beauty as well as detailed anatomical sketches, studies of geology, gravity and water, and designs for machines of war and flying contraptions that today are marvelled at for their ingenuity and foresight. From his birth out of wedlock to a notary and a peasant woman and apprenticeship to a distinguished Florentine craftsman, to his days as a military architect, cartographer, painter and muralist for hire, Leonardo da Vinci tells the story of one of humankind's most curious and innovative minds, a singular visionary whose Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and Vitruvian Man are among the most celebrated works of all time. Leonardo da Vinci premieres Saturday 9 August on SBS and SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS starting Saturday 9 August at 8.20pm. La Unidad - seasons 2-3 The Spanish police arrest the world's most wanted terrorist during a routine operation, and Spain is caught in the crosshairs. Carla is the head of the police investigation unit that struggles at all times to keep terrorism in check. When one of the police operations ends with the coincidental arrest of Al Salah Garheeb, the most wanted Jihadist leader in the world, she will only be pleased for a few hours. As a result of his capture, Spain is to become the target of the threats made by Al Salah's followers; those of the religious leader's own son as well as those of the thousands of supporters who are prepared to sacrifice their own lives to avenge his arrest and fall. La Unidad S2-3 premieres Thursday 14 August on SBS On Demand. La Unidad season 1 premieres Friday 1 August on SBS On Demand. Little Fires Everywhere Based on Celeste Ng's 2017 bestseller, Little Fires Everywhere follows the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. The story explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger in believing that following the rules can avert disaster. The cast includes Reese Witherspoon (Elena Richardson), Kerry Washington (Mia Warren), Joshua Jackson (Bill Richardson), Rosemarie DeWitt (Linda McCullough), Jade Pettyjohn (Lexie Richardson), Jordan Elsass (Trip Richardson), Gavin Lewis (Moody Richardson), Megan Stott (Izzy Richardson), Lexi Underwood (Pearl Warren), and Huang Lu (Bebe). The series is produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, Kerry Washington's Simpson Street and ABC Signature Studios, a part of Disney Television Studios. Author Celeste Ng serves as producer. Little Fires Everywhere premieres Saturday 16 August on SBS On Demand. La Vuelta a España Hub La Vuelta 2024. Get in gear for this year's Vuelta a España (La Vuelta), Spain's annual multi-stage bicycle race, with a hub filled with replays, highlights and live action. 2025's race will be made up of 21 stages including 5 mountain stages and 3 hilly stages with high-altitude finales. It will cover a total distance of 3151 kilometres from Turin, Italy to Madrid, Spain. The La Vuelta a España Hub will be available from Monday 18 August. This year's La Vuelta a España commences on Saturday 23 August, finishing up on Sunday 14 September Adam Richman Eats Football Globally famous food explorer, Adam Richman, is back in Britain. He's embarking on another unique food tour of Britain, this time combining two of his biggest passions: food and football. Using the match as his menu, he's exploring the unique food cultures around some of the biggest football clubs in the country – from London to Liverpool, Brighton to Glasgow and beyond. The series features the best of classic fan-favourite footy scran like pies and burgers, but also more elevated fine dining now available in and around the country's top stadiums. Adam meets brilliant chefs, fans and food makers all over the country, each with a connection to the featured club as he delves into the history, ingredients, and process of creating delicious food for matchdays, or any other day of the week. Adam Richman Eats Football premieres Wednesday 20 August on SBS Food and SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly at SBS Food starting Wednesday 20 August at 9pm. Safe Harbor Gifted hacker Tobias and his ambitious best friend Marco, are intent on cracking into the tech billionaires club. They are plucked from quiet obscurity and plunged headfirst into the chaos of organized crime when they cross paths with the Irish mob. Leading the family's operations in Holland are Sloane and her brother Farrell, who enlist their services to hack into the security system of Rotterdam harbor — Europe's largest shipping port — to secure the undetected deliveries of drug shipments. Safe Harbor premieres Thursday 21 August on SBS On Demand. Fatal Crossing Marie Sandø Jondal as Nora Sand in Fatal Crossing Nora Sand is a renowned journalist working as a correspondent for a Danish newspaper in London. When she's suspended due to an accusation for having had an intimate relationship with one of her sources in a big case, Nora travels home to live with her father. She has sworn to lie low until the scandal has cooled off, but when she's given a tip about an old missing persons case, she can't sit still any longer. Two girls disappeared from the ferry to England in the mid-80s. Since then, no one has seen them – until someone slips an envelope with old photos into Nora's mail box. Fatal Crossing season 1 premieres Thursday 21 August on SBS On Demand.
