Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, played a huge part in the royal family's decision to let Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, give up his royal duties. Reports say that he is one of the key players in the discussion of the embattled royal's fate along with Queen Elizabeth and the heir apparent, Prince Charles.
According to the Times of London, it was Prince William's efforts that triggered Prince Andrew to step down from his royal roles. Apparently, the 37-year-old second in line to the throne was "not a huge fan" of his 59-year-old uncle.
Sources also said that Queen Elizabeth talked to Prince Charles about Prince Andrew following the latter's disastrous interview in his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Prince William was also reportedly consulted and kept informed on the matter until Prince Andrew announced he was no longer taking an active part in his royal roles.
It comes as no surprise for royal watchers, however, to learn that Prince William is one of the key players in Prince Andrew's ouster. For years, Queen Elizabeth has been giving the Duke of Cambridge more roles, including carrying out investitures on her behalf or taking on diplomatic duties overseas, especially in critical places like Israel and Pakistan.
Last week, Prince Andrew's interview with Emily Maitlis aired on the BBC with the hope of clarifying his association with Epstein and his potential involvement in the billionaire's scandals. The piece, however, did more damage than good as Prince Andrew failed to convince public opinion to sway to his side. It prompted some organizations and companies aligned with the royal family to pull out their support if Prince Andrew remained on the board.
The Times additionally reported that Buckingham Palace was not happy with Prince Andrew's interview backlash despite Queen Elizabeth showing her public support for her alleged favorite son. Though they were seen horseback riding and going to church together since the scandal broke, senior royal officials felt that the interview was generally deceiving and misguided.
Meanwhile, according to Vanity Fair, Prince Charles is planning to hold talks with Prince Andrew personally at his official residence in Clarence House upon his return to London. Prince Charles was overseas performing his royal duties when the train wreck of an interview aired, and he was reportedly even more displeased when his younger brother's controversies overshadowed his work during the tour in the news.
