A lip reader has revealed what Prince Andrew said to Prince William following the Duchess of Kent’s funeral, in an exchange that reportedly left the Prince of Wales “furious”. The Duke of York, 65, and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson made a surprising appearance at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday, prompting gasps from the public.
While other senior royals appeared sombre, Andrew was photographed laughing and smiling, a behaviour that reportedly caused tension with Prince William. Footage of Prince Andrew talking to his nephew after the funeral has been widely shared on social media, with many people wondering exactly what was said.
In the clip, Andrew is spotted trying to engage William in conversation several times, even breaking out in a smile after one comment. However, despite his attempts, Prince William does not respond to his uncle.
A lip reader has now revealed what Andrew reportedly said to William during the fleeting private exchange. According to Jeremy Freeman, the Duke of York remarked: “…we had a lovely time in those days, didn’t we… I remember those days.” Royal author Andrew Lownie told the Mirror that Prince William was “furious” at being ambushed by his uncle at the emotional service.
“He has been at pains to distance himself from his uncle and not be photographed with him,” Lownie said. “He believes his father has not dealt with him with sufficient firmness and that Andrew – and Sarah Ferguson – have done much to undermine the good work of other members of the Royal Family.”
The Duke of York was accused of sexual abuse by one of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent victims, Virginia Giuffre. Father-of-two Andrew has denied these accusations.
The King joined members of the royal family on Tuesday, September 16, for the poignant farewell to the Duchess of Kent.
Mourners filled Westminster Cathedral for the requiem mass, a Catholic funeral—the first of its kind for a member of the royal family in modern British history.
A personal tribute from the Pope, praising the duchess’s “devoted care for vulnerable people,” formed part of the deeply religious service.
Pope Leo XIV’s words were read to the congregation by Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, the Vatican’s diplomatic representative in the UK, who highlighted the duchess’s “legacy of Christian goodness.”
A devout Roman Catholic, the duchess became the first member of the royal family to convert to Catholicism in over 300 years, doing so in 1994. It was her wish to have her funeral held at Westminster Cathedral.