Prince William is determined to permanently bar his uncle, Prince Andrew, from returning to public royal duties, viewing him as a reputational liability to the monarchy amid persistent scrutiny over his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, according to multiple royal sources.
"The door to a return is firmly closed," an insider told The Sun, adding that the Prince of Wales sees his uncle as a "threat" to the Royal Family's image. William's stance has been described as "adamant," with reports suggesting he previously issued an ultimatum to King Charles over Andrew's ceremonial involvement.
Tensions reportedly surfaced before last year's Order of the Garter procession, when King Charles allowed Andrew to wear his Garter robes despite having stepped down as a working royal. A senior source told the Evening Standard, "The Duke of Cambridge was adamant. If York insisted on taking part publicly, he would withdraw."
That dispute echoed broader concerns within royal circles about Andrew's ongoing proximity to official events. The Sunday Times reported that William recently chose to avoid a reunion with Andrew at Easter services at St George's Chapel in Windsor, instead spending the holiday privately with the Middleton family in Norfolk. Meanwhile, Andrew attended the service alongside his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has remained a vocal supporter of the Duke of York despite their divorce in 1996.
Prince Andrew stepped down from royal duties in 2019 following a damaging BBC Newsnight interview and in 2022 relinquished his honorary military affiliations and royal patronages. His legal settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse while under Epstein's control, further eroded public trust. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations.
New concerns emerged in April when court filings revealed Andrew's close associate Yang Tengbo, described as a suspected Chinese agent, had been invited to meetings with King Charles. In a sworn statement, Andrew's aide Dominic Hampshire confirmed the meetings. A palace spokesperson clarified, "While His Majesty met with The Duke and his adviser to hear outline proposals for independent funding over the past year, the individual known as H6 was not mentioned at any time or in any way as part of these discussions."
Despite palace efforts to distance the King from the scandal, William remains deeply opposed to any form of public rehabilitation for his uncle. According to royal commentator Hilary Fordwich, "William's strong stance on 'the Andrew problem' is consistent, unwavering, and his influence has been decisive in ensuring Andrew remains sidelined."
Fordwich added that the strained relationship between the two men has long been known within royal circles. "Andrew's future within the royal family is beyond bleak, since Prince William is firmly opposed to any public rehabilitation with no foreseeable path back," she told Fox News Digital. "Once King, no doubt, Prince William will ensure Andrew is completely excluded from royal life, as well as all public appearances."
