More than once, Prince William has spoken of his desire to make changes in the Royal Family when he eventually becomes king. And it seems increasingly likely that one of those changes will spell bad news for his uncle, Prince Andrew.
In his recent interview with Schitt’s Creek actor Eugene Levy, the Prince of Wales said: “I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good and I embrace that, I enjoy that change. I don’t fear it, that’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change.”
The Duke of York’s standing in the Royal Family is in the spotlight more than ever, after a leaked email seemed to show him in touch with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein a year after claiming he’d ceased contact. And now, royal expert Jennie Bond suggests that it is “crunch time for the Duke, and indeed the Duchess, of York.”
Writing in the i newspaper, she adds that William could “wield the axe” and banish Prince Andrew permanently from any future public engagements when he becomes King.
Jennie, who was the BBC’s royal correspondent for 14 years, explains: “King Charles has never been that close to Andrew, but he is his big brother. And Charles is a man who is all about harmony …he is not someone who enjoys confrontation.”
By contrast, she adds William is “one step removed” from Charles and Andrew’s relationship, and he is also, “determined to change the monarchy for the better”.
One of this changes, he suggests, might be to sack his uncle from The Firm to prevent him from bringing any further embarrassment.
But Jennie suggests there is one obstacle William must overcome – his close relationship with cousins Beatrice and Eugenie. She said: “Banishing or humiliating Andrew and Fergie would cause the sisters further hurt. And that’s a tough nut for William to crack.”
Along with Andrew’s long-running association with Epstein, who died in a New York jail less than a week after guards removed him from suicide watch, questions have been asked about the Prince’s friendship with Chinese entrepreneur Yang Tengbo.
The BBC reports that MI5 took the unusual step of intervening to warn against Andrew having contact with Yang after the Special Immigration Appeals Commission found that he had not disclosed his links to a secret agency of the Chinese government which specialises in “political interference.”
Recent polling suggests that the British public would be broadly in support of stripping Andrew of his remaining titles – which include Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.
But, she added, both Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson “should rightly fear the day that William becomes king”.
