Prince Charles
Charles, the Prince of Wales, attends commemoration for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, part of Operation Market Garden in World War Two, in Ede, Netherlands September 21, 2019. (Photo: REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw)

It's no secret that Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, and his brother Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, don't have the best relationship. Royal observers constantly talk about how these two brothers never get on well because of their 12-year age difference.

 

However, in a rare photo unearthed on Instagram, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew once shared a sweet moment as little kids. Taken during Prince Andrew's christening, Prince Charles is shown holding his little brother on his lap with an awkward smile on his face.

Social media users were surprised to see the photo of the royal brothers together knowing that there is some animosity between them now as adults. Royal experts said that, even in their younger years, Prince Charles has always resented his brother because Prince Andrew was, apparently, Queen Elizabeth's favorite son.

Prince Andrew was born following rumors that Queen Elizabeth's marriage to Prince Philip was going through a rough patch. Royal biographer Lady Colin Campbell told The Sun that Prince Andrew was touted as the "love child" because of the circumstances surrounding his birth.

"I think the special relationship began right there because the Queen always associated Andrew with the re-booting of her marriage and a happy time in her life," Campbell said.  

Adding to the resentment that Prince Charles felt for his brother was the fact that Queen Elizabeth had more time to spend with Prince Andrew as a more established and older monarch. She, apparently, read bedtime stories and taught her third child the alphabet, which she couldn't do during Prince Charles' childhood because she was still learning the ropes as the new Queen.

Another royal biographer revealed that Queen Elizabeth keeps a photo of Prince Andrew in her handbag everywhere she goes. Apparently, in Queen Elizabeth's eyes, Prince Andrew can do no wrong, even as the Epstein sex scandal has tainted the name of her third child.

Recently, the Queen and her favorite son were seen together going to Church in Scotland. Sources told New York Post that Prince Andrew has been taking solace in his mother's summer home after a woman has accused the royal of groping her breast at a party at Jeffrey Epstein's house. This comes after another allegation of one of Epstein's victims, who also said she was coerced into having a sexual encounter with the Duke of York.

"It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with [Giuffre]. The allegations made are false and without any foundation," the palace said.