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Prince William's request over Andrew 'overruled' by dad King Charles amid latest Epstein files
The Royal family have always been a bastion of upholding the British tradition of a stiff upper lip, but in recent times that sentiment has been balancing tentatively, with Prince Harry’s well-publicised denouncement of the institution he calls home, and the more recent scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, his arrest for misconduct, and his inextricable links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince William’s relationship with his uncle is thought to be strained due to Andrew’s association with the disgraced financier and his alleged sexual relationship with the late Virginia Giuffre, though the former Duke of York strenuously denies allegations of any wrongdoing.
William's obstinacy over Andrew
Heir to the throne, William is reportedly unwavering in his approach to the situation regarding his uncle, with the Prince of Wales strongly opposed to any mooted return to public duties, but his father, King Charles, hasn’t always held the same uncompromising views.
Russell Myers, the Daily Mail’s royal editor, has claimed in his new book 'William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story', that the UK’s king-in-waiting adopted a hardline attitude against Andrew in the aftermath of the civil settlement with Giuffre, following her sexual assault accusations.
According to Myers, William was of the belief his uncle should reach a settlement to circumvent any further implications the scandal could have on the family: "Talks gathered at pace concerning Andrew's 'ultimate gamble' of demanding to be tried by a jury in the case.
"In private, William again voiced his concerns to his father that his disgraced uncle should seek to settle the case to avoid further scandal. The duke would eventually choose to settle with Giuffre for £12 million on 14 February, £2 million of which was set as a donation to her personal charity for sex-abuse victims."
King Charles overrules William's request
Despite mutually agreeing that Andrew should never be allowed to return to public duties, Myers claims that William made further proposals regarding the future of his uncle’s involvement in the royal family: “One palace insider told how William went even further, suggesting his uncle should not be welcomed to any event with the royal family, which was overruled by the Prince of Wales [Charles' title at the time].”
Myers explained that “out of respect for his father’s will”, William accepted Charles’s ruling against Andrew’s permanent exile, despite allegedly being “privately adamant that when he became king, the Duke of York would have absolutely no place within the royal fold, publicly or otherwise."