Lip reader reveals what Prince Andrew 'said' to 'furious' William at Duchess of Kent's funeral
Prince William was reportedly 'furious' at having to interact with his disgraced uncle
A lip reader has claimed to uncover the exact words Prince Andrew attempted to share with Prince William during a tense exchange at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral. The exchange reportedly left the Prince of Wales “furious.”
The duchess was a deeply devout Roman Catholic and the first royal in more than 300 years to officially convert to Catholicism. She was laid to rest in a moving Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral on September 16.
The funeral marked a historical moment, being the first Catholic royal funeral in recent British history.
King Charles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton were among the senior royals who attended. Also unexpectedly present were Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and their appearance did not go unnoticed.
Prince Andrew and Prince William at Duchess of Kent’s funeral
Following the emotional service, video footage captured an awkward moment as Prince Andrew appeared to initiate a conversation with his nephew, Prince William.
The Duke of York was seen smiling and even chuckling, contrasting starkly with the sombre expressions of other royal family members.
According to lip reader Jeremy Freeman, Andrew allegedly said: “We had a lovely time in those days, didn’t we… I remember those days.”
However, his attempt at conversation was met with stone-cold silence from William, who refused to make eye contact or respond.
The brief clip has since gone viral on social media. Many royal watchers noted William’s visibly tense demeanour as he seemingly ignored his disgraced uncle’s attempt at small talk.
Royal biographer Andrew Lownie told The Mirror that the encounter was far from welcome.
“[William] was furious,” he said. “He has been at pains to distance himself from his uncle and not be photographed with him. He believes his father has not dealt with him with sufficient firmness, and that Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have done much to undermine the good work of other members of the royal family.”
A friend of Prince William echoed this sentiment in comments to The Daily Beast. They called the seating arrangement a “disgrace” and accused Andrew of “ambushing” William by being seated so close to him, ultimately landing them in multiple photographs together.
The incident reportedly left William not just furious, but embarrassed, as public images placed him side-by-side with one of the monarchy’s most controversial figures.
Tension between Andrew and William
There has reportedly been tension between Andrew and William for years due to the Duke of York being “rude” to Princess Kate.
Royal author Andrew Lownie made the claims in his book The Rise and Fall of the Yorks.
A source who spoke to the author claimed that the tension had been there for years after Andrew started tarnishing the royal family’s reputation with his actions.
The “rude” comments about Kate also exacerbated the situation; however, the source didn’t go into detail over what the comments were.
Prince Andrew retreated from the spotlight
Prince Andrew has remained largely out of the public eye since being accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most well-known accusers.
Andrew has denied all allegations. However, the scandal and his friendship with the convicted sex offender have left his public reputation in ruins.
According to royal expert Hilary Fordwich, William has no intention of allowing Andrew a return to public life.
Speaking to Fox News, she explained: “Prince William has long had a strained and distant relationship with Andrew. He holds a grudge against his disgraced uncle. Andrew’s future within the royal family is beyond bleak.”
Hilary made it clear that once William becomes king, Andrew’s exile from royal duties will likely become permanent.
She emphasised that the future monarch will “ensure Andrew is completely excluded from royal life”.
Read more: Prince William and uncle Andrew’s ‘very frosty’ moment at Duchess of Kent’s funeral
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