Royal expert says Prince William will push Prince Andrew 'into the wilderness' once king after frosty funeral exchange

A royal commentator has said Prince William will move to remove Prince Andrew from the royal fold "at the first opportunity" once he becomes king, after a visibly frosty exchange between the two men at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral.

The Prince of Wales, 43, and the Duke of York, 65, both attended the private service at Westminster Cathedral. Observers noted William appeared uncomfortable and reluctant to engage with his uncle, while Andrew, who stepped down from public duties six years ago, was seated prominently in the front row and was seen smiling and laughing with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, as they left the service.

Tom Bower, author and royal commentator, told the Daily Mail that William and his wife, Catherine, are determined to force Andrew out of public life permanently when William ascends the throne. "I have no doubt that William and Kate are determined at their first opportunity to force Andrew to permanently leave public life and never appear at any future royal event," Bower said, adding he expected Andrew to be "cast into the wilderness".

Andrew has not carried out official royal duties since 2019, following a public backlash over his association with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein and other controversies. He settled a civil claim brought by Virginia Giuffre, who had accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of trafficking her to Andrew; the settlement was made without admission of liability and was reported at the time to be around £12 million. Giuffre died by suicide earlier this year, five days after the royal family's Easter service that Andrew attended and the Prince and Princess of Wales did not.

Other commentators have suggested different courses of action. Royal historian Christopher Wilson told The Telegraph that William might consider a formal removal of Andrew’s remaining royal titles when the time is right, arguing that a longer-term approach to protecting the monarchy’s reputation could outweigh short-term headlines. Any change to titles, however, would likely require parliamentary action to formalise, experts say.

Public sentiment appears strongly against Andrew retaining formal royal honours. A YouGov poll cited in August found 67 percent of respondents supported removing his remaining titles, while a separate YouGov measure in the second quarter of 2025 recorded a nine percent favourable rating for the duke.

Critics have also pointed to reporting from recent books that outline further controversies in Andrew’s business and personal life. Excerpts from Andrew Lownie’s The Rise and Fall of the House of York, serialised in national outlets, recount claims of misusing official roles and other damaging episodes. Andrew has disputed or not publicly admitted wrongdoing in relation to many of these allegations.

King Charles III has faced pressure in the past to address Andrew’s status. Insiders have said the king considered the issue early in his reign but was diverted by health concerns and other priorities. Queen Elizabeth II’s long-standing approach of public silence on family matters—"never complain, never explain"—remained a guiding precedent for decades, but some royal biographers say William’s approach is likely to be more interventionist, reflecting concerns about public perception in the social media era.

The exchange at Westminster Cathedral underlines ongoing tensions within the extended royal family over how to handle a senior member whose public standing has been severely diminished. Any formal changes to Andrew’s position would raise constitutional and political questions and are likely to draw fresh public and parliamentary debate should they be pursued.

No member of the royal household immediately responded to requests for comment about the funeral interaction or the prospect of future moves against the Duke of York.