How Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton are 'coping' as royal crisis hits fever pitch it has 'never before'
'There is intense pressure on the royal family'A royal expert has revealed their thoughts on how Prince William and Kate Middleton are coping amid the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal.
It’s been a dramatic few months for the royals. In February, William’s uncle, Andrew, was arrested on his birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The specific details of the allegations of misconduct being investigated are unknown. Hours after his arrest, he was released under investigation.
And now, it’s been claimed that “there is intense pressure on the royal family”, with a royal expert noting “like there’s never been before”.
William and Kate amid Andrew scandal
The former prince Andrew has dominated headlines in recent months. His association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to the loss of his royal titles and honours. It also further tarnished the royal family’s public image.
He has also faced allegations of sexual assault, which he has always vehemently denied.
Earlier this year, millions of files relating to the disgraced financier Epstein were released. Within these files, images appeared to show Andrew kneeling on all fours over an unidentified woman lying on the ground.
However, the files didn’t supply context to the images. Being named or pictured among the Epstein files is not an indication of wrongdoing.
What’s more, on February 19, 2026, Andrew was arrested by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, before later being released.
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William and Kate at BAFTAs
Since the Andrew scandal, and proving it is business as usual, Kate and William have made several public appearances.
The pair were seen at the 2026 BAFTA Awards last month. The award ceremony marked William’s first outing since the dramatic developments unfolded.
While at the event, William made a comment that made headlines. When asked if he had watched Hamnet, he replied: “I need to be in quite a calm state and I’m not at the moment. I will save it.”
Though he was talking about the film, plenty of other people interpreted his remark as to how he is feeling amid the whole Andrew scandal.
As Hello Magazine reports, royal expert Russell Myers said that William “may not have meant it, but it will be construed as that’s what he meant”.
‘There is intense pressure on the royal family’
Russell, the author of William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, added: “It has been a stressful time for the entire family, and I think people probably sympathise with his position.”
The expert went on to note that the language being used and the “constant rhetoric” has “crossed the line of what they would have expected”.
What’s more, a former senior aide also said that they feel like “we’re not in a good position” for “the first time” after all the recent headlines.
Russell also went on to say: “There is intense pressure on the royal family, possibly like there’s never been before.
“Serious questions are going to be asked. I think the politicians are now scratching the surface. The deference has potentially been lost. We have a situation where MPs are standing up and pretty much listing their perceptions of [Andrew’s] behaviour. It’s extraordinary.
“And you have the police investigations. You have the added issue of the UK government, supported by some of the realms that are coming forward now, saying that they will strip him from the line of succession. This is very, very serious.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal
Meanwhile, sources say William remains fully supportive of King Charles’s handling of the situation. Buckingham Palace previously confirmed the monarch’s “wholehearted support and co-operation” with the ongoing police investigation.
In a statement issued following Andrew’s arrest, the king said: “The law must take its course.”
William and Kate are understood to back that stance entirely. However, insiders claim the couple have been eager to publicly distance themselves from Andrew.
“They’ve been itching to say something,” one source told the Daily Mail.
Earlier this month, a spokesperson for the Prince and Princess of Wales confirmed they were “deeply concerned by the continuing revelations”. They also emphasised that their thoughts remain focused on victims connected to the Epstein case.
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