How Andrew’s ‘ru.de’ comment about Kate sparked bitter feud between ex-prince and William

A once-heartwarming image of a young Prince William jumping into his Uncle Andrew’s arms on the day of the latter’s wedding to Sarah Ferguson has resurfaced – a poignant reminder of how close the pair once were.
Decades later, that bond appears to have dissolved completely.

According to The Daily Mail, the Prince and Princess of Wales have made it clear that cutting ties with Andrew is the only way for the Royal Family to move forward after years of damaging scandal.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is pictured with the Prince and Princess of Wales at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September – William was said to be ‘furious’ at his uncle’s unexpected appearance

William and Kate appear at the opposite end of the Buckingham Palace balcony to Andrew in 2011

Last night it emerged that the Prince and Princess of Wales were steadfast in pushing for Andrew’s banishment following a long-running feud which began over alleged comments about Kate

Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will now move out of Royal Lodge (pictured) in Windsor 

King Charles, pictured at his Sandringham Estate in Norfolk today, after it was announced Andrew would lose the remainder of his titles

The Rift Between Uncle and Nephew

As Prince Andrew’s downfall deepened this week with the formal removal of his titles and royal privileges, reports suggest the final rift with his nephew was triggered by a “rude remark” Andrew allegedly made about Catherine, the Princess of Wales.

The incident, revealed in royal biographer Andrew Lownie’s new book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks, is said to have left William furious.
While the exact words remain unknown, a palace insider told Lownie that Andrew had made disrespectful comments about Kate, causing a lasting grudge.

“He [William] also loathes Sarah, Andrew’s ex-wife,” the source said. “He can’t wait for the day his father throws them both out.

And if Charles doesn’t, I guarantee you that the first thing William does when he becomes King will be to have them evicted.”

The King was ‘gravely concerned’ that the future of the monarchy was at stake unless he acted decisively to banish his beleaguered brother (pictured with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at Ascot in 2019)

Backing the King’s Decision

Andrew, now 65, has been stripped of his title as “Prince” and forced to vacate his 30-room residence, Royal Lodge, in Windsor – a move described as both shocking and inevitable.
King Charles, 76, is said to have made the decision himself, while Prince William gave his full support.

Over the years, the future King has become increasingly frustrated with his uncle’s behavior and its consequences for the monarchy’s public image.

Much of the damage stems from Andrew’s notorious friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, and the subsequent allegations from Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York on three occasions.

The scandal escalated after leaked emails suggested that both Andrew and Sarah Ferguson continued corresponding with Epstein long after publicly cutting ties with him. Reports also indicated that Epstein had financially supported Sarah while she was in debt – revelations that strained their relationship even with their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Growing Frustration Within the Royal Family

According to Lownie, William’s anger reached a peak when Andrew and Sarah unexpectedly showed up at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September, despite not being on the expected guest list.

“William was furious at being ambushed this way,” a friend told the author. “He has made every effort to distance himself from his uncle and to avoid being photographed with him.”

Sources added that William believed his father had been too lenient toward Andrew and that both Andrew and Sarah had undermined the good work of other royal family members.

Before the formal stripping of titles, William and Kate had already expressed their stance: they wanted Andrew removed from Windsor altogether.

The Prince of Wales, 43, had reportedly been pushing for Andrew and Sarah’s eviction from Royal Lodge for several years and had grown frustrated with the property’s decline into disrepair.

Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and s.e.x tra.ff.icker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old

The Aftermath: Two Exiles, One Family in Turmoil

Now, the disgraced former Duke of York and his ex-wife are facing uncertain futures.
Andrew is expected to relocate to Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, one of the King’s private properties, while Sarah Ferguson will have to find her own accommodation – with some reports suggesting she may even move abroad.

Meanwhile, Beatrice and Eugenie, though retaining their princess titles, are said to be deeply disappointed in their parents but remain worried about their father’s mental health.

Even Prince Harry, Andrew’s estranged nephew, reportedly shares William’s disdain. According to the same book, Harry once told his brother he “hated” Andrew, referring to him as “an a******” and “a twit.”

A King’s Difficult Decision

Sources close to Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles was “gravely concerned” that the monarchy’s future could be jeopardized unless he took decisive action.
Despite concerns from other family members about Andrew’s well-being, the King and Queen Camilla – a longtime advocate for victims of domestic and sexual abuse – were determined to make a strong public statement of support for survivors.

By relocating Andrew to Sandringham, Charles can continue to support him privately, while protecting the monarchy’s reputation.

Though plans for Andrew’s move are underway, insiders say it may still take several weeks before the transition is completed. Sarah is not expected to accompany him.

Friends describe the former couple as “on the brink”, humiliated and broken by the public fallout. Their daughters, they add, are “devastated.”

“His Humiliation Is Complete”

Former royal aides have described the move as unprecedented in modern royal history.
Ailsa Anderson, Queen Elizabeth II’s former press secretary, told The Daily Mail:

“His humiliation is complete.
The palace statement was absolutely decisive – and rightly so.

I’m so relieved that Queen Elizabeth is not here to witness this.
For her, it was always about duty and service – never self-interest. She lived for her country.”

Another former aide was blunter:

“The irony that someone so obsessed with status now only holds the nicknames ‘Randy Andy’ and ‘Air Miles Andrew’ is lost on no one.

He’ll be remembered as the most disgraced royal of his generation.”

A Lesson in Royal Accountability

From adored uncle to disgraced outcast, Andrew’s trajectory represents one of the most dramatic downfalls in British royal history.

What was once a warm family bond between uncle and nephew has turned into a symbol of a monarchy’s reckoning – a reminder that even those born into privilege are not immune from the consequences of their actions.

As one palace insider put it, “The monarchy had to choose between protecting one man or protecting its future – and the King made his choice.”