Kate Middleton angered by Prince Andrew's behind-the-scenes influence
Kate Middleton (photo: Getty Images)
According to insiders, Kate Middleton is increasingly irritated by Prince Andrew's behavior, who is suspected of seeking to maintain indirect influence within the royal family, RadarOnline.com reports.
According to the outlet, 65-year-old Prince Andrew has been forced to leave Royal Lodge in Windsor following a decision by his brother, King Charles, and move into temporary accommodation while renovations are underway at his new home, Marsh Farm.
The move comes amid the long-running fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which has effectively isolated Andrew from public royal life.
Prince Andrew (photo: Getty Images)
Despite public statements about distancing themselves from their father, sources claim that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie privately support him and remain in close contact.
“Andrew is relying far more than ever on Beatrice and Eugenie to keep him plugged into what is happening within the family,” an insider said.
“The concern is that they have become informal conduits for information, which has inevitably bred suspicion, regardless of whether that was ever their intention,” the source added.
According to people close to the family, this situation has particularly angered Kate Middleton and intensified tensions with Prince William.
“Kate is rarely outwardly angry, but privately her frustration is intense,” a source close to the Prince and Princess of Wales said.
“The sense that Andrew remains present through his daughters has brought tensions with William to a tipping point,” the source emphasized.
Prince William and Kate Middleton (photo: Getty Images)
According to insiders, the Waleses do not want to alienate Beatrice and Eugenie, but they have a firm stance on their father’s role.
“They have no desire to marginalize Beatrice and Eugenie, but they are equally determined that Andrew should not have any indirect influence over decisions,” the source stressed.
Kate’s particular outrage, RadarOnline.com reports, is linked to her years-long efforts to restore trust in the monarchy after a series of scandals.
“Kate has invested years in restoring confidence in the institution after repeated crises,” another insider explained.
“From her perspective, any sense that Andrew is reappearing, however indirectly, undermines that work and feels deeply undermining,” the source concluded.
Epstein scandal and the status of an outcast
Prince Andrew’s ties to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became one of the most serious crises for the modern British monarchy.
Although Andrew has consistently denied all allegations, in 2014, he was publicly accused of sexual assault by Epstein-linked trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre.
She claimed the incident occurred when she was 17 years old.
According to Giuffre, in 202,2 Andrew settled the civil lawsuit for about $15 million without admitting guilt. The prince has maintained his innocence.
Prince Andrew (photo: Getty Images)
In April last year, Giuffre died by suicide at the age of 41.
After her death, posthumous memoirs were released in which she reiterated her accusations, including claims that her meetings with Andrew were allegedly facilitated by Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Despite King Charles III stripping Andrew of royal titles and effectively removing him from public life, insiders say the disgraced prince has not accepted his outcast status and continues trying to maintain indirect ties to the royal family.
You may be interested in:
-
Meghan Markle shares a touching new video with Prince Harry and their children.
