Prince William is already preparing for his future role as King. The Prince of Wales has been gifted new royal powers and an additional title from King Charles in recent weeks, and his royal responsibilities have notably increased over the last eighteen months. In the wake of the King's cancer diagnosis last year, William stepped in for the monarch on several occasions and it has prompted conversations about the kind of King William will be. While some experts claim he will be the 'toughest ruler' the royals have 'ever seen', others have praised him for his compassion and unwavering commitment to his work.
While William and Charles are reported to have different opinions when it comes to a reunion with estranged Prince Harry, it seems there is another point of contention between the King and his heir: Prince Andrew. According to royal journalist Richard Kay, the Prince has 'long held a grudge' against his uncle, and believes that Charles has been 'too soft' on Andrew. In recent years, there have been several reports that William is keen for the King to remove Andrew from his Royal Lodge home so that he and his family can relocate to the property in Windsor. However, Kay has claimed that William's issue with Andrew actually dates back to the beginning of his relationship with the Princess of Wales.
In a report for the Daily Mail, Kay said: "Differences between monarch and heir do remain, especially when it comes to the Prince Andrew scandal. William has long held a grudge against Andrew for being unwelcoming when he first introduced the then Kate Middleton to the Royal Family and feels that his father has been too soft on him. It has led to speculation that it is William who is pushing his father to evict the Duke of York from Royal Lodge, so the Waleses could move in."
In a separate report for The Mirror, royal author Tom Quinn added: "For King Charles, forcing Andrew to move to Frogmore solves several problems at once - it sends a message to Harry that, as a private citizen and no longer a working royal, he will never be allowed back to Frogmore. It sends [a] message to Andrew that having disgraced himself, he can no longer expect to live in the grand style. And, finally, it means that a suitably grand residence can be made ready for the royals who really matter - William and Kate."
Reports that Prince Andrew could be removed from the Royal Lodge first started circulating in 2023, though he continues to live at the royal residence with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
