A new report alleges that the Prince of Wales is not satisfied with the recent decision to strip Prince Andrew of his royal titles and will take a "more ruthless" approach when he is King. The Sunday Times has claimed that heir to the throne Prince William remains unhappy with the outcome that was announced on Friday, October 17, 2025, and alleges that William will not invite Andrew to the coronation when it is time.
The prince was consulted alongside his father, King Charles, on the decision that led to Andrew relinquishing his titles, although HELLO! understands that William wanted his father to take a firmer stance. The new report claims that William is also considering banning Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, from royal events. Their daughters – William's close cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie – will still be welcome at family and official gatherings.
Andrew voluntarily relinquished the titles; he remains a prince as he was born into the title, and he also remains eighth-in-line to the throne. His ex-wife, Sarah, will also lose her courtesy title of Duchess of York although she has used her maiden name professionally over the years, and a source told HELLO! that she will do anything for the King.
The King is understood to be glad about the outcome after his brother's ongoing personal difficulties, including his links to both the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and an alleged Chinese spy, continued to overshadow the work of the royal family.
In a statement shared by Buckingham Palace, the Prince said: "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.
"I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."
The final straw for King Charles and Prince William reportedly came in early October as courtiers reached a "tipping point" over revelations that Andrew had held at least three meetings with Cai Qi – a Chinese official at the center of a Beijing spy case.
At the same time, leaked emails revealed he had stayed in touch with Jeffrey Epstein for longer than he had previously admitted. One email from Andrew to Jeffrey read: "It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!!"
A posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she had sex with the Prince when she was a teenager, has been serialized in a British newspaper; Ms Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts has urged the King to go further and strip Andrew of his right to be a prince.
Andrew will continue to live at the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge as he has a private long-term lease on the property with the Crown Estate, which is not affected by his loss of titles.