Visible tensions were on display at a royal family memorial service as Prince William was seated in close proximity to his uncle, Prince Andrew. The Prince of Wales also appeared frustrated with his father, King Charles III, who was photographed conversing warmly with his disgraced brother.
The awkward encounter highlighted a growing rift between the monarch and the heir. Just days prior, King Charles met with Prince Harry, a move William reportedly opposed, creating a rare public division between the two most senior royals.
According to a source close to the Prince of Wales, the seating arrangement, which placed the Duke of York directly behind William and Princess Kate, was a “disgrace.” The friend stated that William was “furious” at being “ambushed” by the situation, which resulted in unwelcome photographs of the three men together. For years, the Prince of Wales has reportedly made significant efforts to distance himself publicly from his uncle, excluding him from key royal events such as the Garter Day procession.
Prince Andrew has previously been accused of using solemn occasions, including the funeral of his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, to reassert his public presence. At today’s service, both Princess Kate and Prince William looked visibly displeased with the arrangements. Photographs captured William looking away as his father engaged with Andrew, underscoring his disapproval.
Sources suggest William believes the King has made a significant error by allowing Andrew even a minor return to the public sphere and is repeating this perceived mistake with his handling of Prince Harry. The prince reportedly views his father’s approach to problematic family members as “weak” and intends to “course correct” by enforcing stricter boundaries when he ascends the throne.
This public display of family friction is seen by observers as a hallmark of a new era. Under the late Queen Elizabeth II, such internal conflicts were rarely so visible. Without her unifying authority, long-simmering tensions within the Windsor dynasty appear to be surfacing more frequently.
The conflict is compounded by Prince Harry’s actions following his recent meeting with the King. Hours after their reunion, Harry gave an interview reaffirming his decision to publish his controversial memoir, Spare. In the book and an accompanying Netflix series, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, leveled accusations of racism against the royal family and branded Queen Camilla as “dangerous.”
Both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew remain in the line of succession, at fifth and eighth respectively. For Prince William, who has worked diligently to protect the monarchy’s image by keeping Andrew out of sight, the photographs from the memorial service represent a significant public setback orchestrated, in his view, by his father.
