King Charles and Prince William were not alone in the decision to strip Prince Andrew, known for his association with Jeffrey Epstein, of his royal titles and privileges.
According to palace insiders, both Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton played a decisive role, described by one source as bringing a female touch to a moment that seeks to repair the monarchy’s image.
The move was announced last Thursday (October 30), when Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew would lose all remaining royal honors, as well as his residence at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion he had shared with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, since 2003.
Going forward, he would be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and live at the Sandringham estate.
Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton played a key role in the stripping of royal privileges from Prince Andrew, insiders say
The decision, while ultimately issued under King Charles’ authority, reportedly came after years of internal frustration and public backlash over Andrew’s association with Epstein and his crimes.
According to sources, Charles was frustrated and had allegedly “given Andrew many chances and opportunities to do the right thing.”
The King found the decision deeply painful and had hoped Andrew would face the backlash himself rather than leave him no choice. “He was exasperated,” the source said, adding that Charles never wanted to be the one to make that call.
Although the King and his younger brother are not known to be close, the source added, “He is his brother, and he will feel some care and affection and concern for him.
But he wouldn’t have wanted to make that decision. He would rather Andrew dealt with it.”
Because of this, behind closed doors, there were other forces pushing for Charles to pull the trigger on the measure.
“It was a family decision,” a palace insider said, revealing that both Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales had input in the process.
“There would have been a push from Camilla and Catherine,” the source said, adding that Prince William had also pressed for a resolution. “There was pressure from William, who would not want to inherit the headache.”
The Queen was keenly aware of the impact Andrew’s actions had on public trust towards the Monarchy
Observers also noted a more empathetic, almost heartfelt tone in the official palace statement, for many a clear sign of the Queen’s influence in the whole affair.
The statement concluded with: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of ab*se.”
“I would think the Queen had a hand in that,” an insider told People Magazine, referencing Queen Camilla’s decades of advocacy for victims of gender violence. “I sensed a female touch. It was quite strong, and I was quite proud when I heard it.”
According to The Telegraph, Camilla had privately expressed that Andrew’s continued association with Epstein was undermining her work with survivors.
She reportedly raised those concerns directly during family discussions, aware that her credibility as an advocate was being quietly compromised.
“The Queen is an extremely good judge of where the public mood is at any one time,” a former courtier said.
“And likewise, the King is very tuned in to public sentiment because he meets so many people every day and is always out and about, so he knows what the temperature is.
Both of them know that they have to have the trust of the public because without that, they don’t have the agency to do their job.”
Andrew was accused of taking advantage of a 17-year-old woman, a case that was resolved through an out-of-court settlement in 2022
Behind the scenes, the process took time.
“Andrew had been dragging his heels,” the source added, “It took a while to get everything sorted out because it was a complex process. You can’t always move at the speed of the media. But the King is acutely aware of when enough is enough.”
That moment arrived when it became clear that Andrew’s situation was impairing the institution’s ability to do its job, another palace insider said.
“They could see that trust in the institution was being impacted.”
In the end, it was Charles who made the call, but insiders believe the decision carried the unmistakable influence of two women who understand the delicate balance between duty and empathy.
“Royally screwed.” While many celebrated the decision, others felt it wasn’t enough
