An extract from the upcoming royal book, titled William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, by the Daily Mirror’s Royal Editor Russell Myers said: “The late Queen sought to protect her son [Andrew] from complete banishment, clinging to the hope that he would one day be exonerated.” It went on to say: “Similarly, while acknowledging that his brother could never return to public duties, Charles attempted to honour his mother’s wishes and for a long time stopped short of pushing for Andrew’s complete banishment. By contrast, William made it clear that once he became king there would be no such mercy.”

It then added: “But with every Balmoral meet-up or Christmas walkabout that came around, questions were raised as to how close to the King, or William, Andrew actually was.

“Did the Royal Family think this would all blow over if they kept quiet, or kept him close? William and Catherine have never seen it that way.”

The book also states that Andrew’s lack of accountability, with him repeatedly denying any wrongdoing, was “terminal” to William and Catherine’s relationship with him.

As shared by Mr Myers, William was angered by his father’s decision to extend the hand of goodwill to the then-Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, by inviting them to spend Christmas at Sandringham with the rest of the Royal Family in 2023.

Alongside family members, including the King, William and Catherine, Andrew and Sarah participated in the public walk to St Mary Magdalene Church on the estate.

Ensure our latest royal headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or just add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

The idea to challenge to the monarch led to William being “very much put in his place”, and he decided not to “provoke” his father any further.

Stepping out alongside his royal relatives, Andrew was seen, what appeared to be, trying to engage in conversation with his nephew as they joined outside of Westminster Cathedral. William did “not want to be seen chatting to his uncle”, according to one expert.

Extracted from WILLIAM AND CATHERINE by RUSSELL MYERS, published by Ebury Spotlight on 26th February at £22. Copyright © Russell Myers 2025.