Prince William reportedly views his disgraced uncle as “a very troubled soul,” condemning his actions without hesitation. At the same time, he remains quietly concerned about the toll the fallout may be taking on his mental health.
The claim was made by Robert Hardman, who has written a new biography on the late Queen Elizabeth II titled “Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story.” In it, the author said that the Prince of Wales offered condolences to the former Prince Andrew after his royal titles were stripped.
“I think clearly there will be no coming back for Prince Andrew — ex-Prince Andrew — when William is king,” Hardman told Fox News Digital. “But at the same time, I still think that [William] is conscious that here is someone who is a very troubled soul and that at least the family does have to keep an eye on him.”
In October 2025, King Charles III stripped Andrew of his royal titles as his younger brother faced renewed scrutiny over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The heightened criticism followed the release of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir and newly unsealed documents detailing Andrew’s relationship with Epstein.
“From time to time, there have been suggestions that [William] is a hardliner,” Hardman wrote. “Some accounts suggested that he was the driving force behind his uncle Andrew being stripped of his titles and honors and banished to a house on the Sandringham estate. One friend of the former Yorks, however, reported that on the night [Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson] lost their titles, Andrew had been very touched when Prince William was one of the few people to call to offer condolences.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace previously told Fox News Digital, “We don’t comment on such books.”
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“I think what we realize from this is that William is … well, we know he’s a thoughtful man,” Hardman explained. “He’s a very serious man. He’s very private, but we know he’s particularly concerned about the whole issue of mental health, and that’s something that’s been a key strand of his work.”
“And I think he understood that his uncle Andrew may have behaved appallingly in many ways over many years,” said Hardman. “But at the same time, he’s a member of the family. And here was someone who was being completely humiliated, publicly humiliated, degraded, disgraced, handed a punishment that no member of the family has had — to have all their titles taken away, to be effectively un-royal, de-royaled.”
Andrew has held the title of prince since birth.
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“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace previously announced. “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 abuse.”
It is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of their royal title, The Associated Press reported. According to the outlet, it last happened in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus had his British title removed for siding with Germany during World War I. Hardman said that Andrew, like his ancestor, was viewed as “a traitor.”
“And that was clearly going to be very, very tough for him,” said Hardman. “And I think Prince William understood that.”
Mental health has been a key concern for William, heir to the British throne. According to the royal family’s website, he spearheaded the Heads Together campaign to help change the conversation, raise awareness, and tackle stigma. Having completed nearly eight years of military service, William has spoken out about the challenges those in the armed forces, in particular, face when they return home.
Given that mental health is a central cause for William as a working royal, Hardman noted it would have been difficult for him to overlook Andrew’s well-being after his titles were stripped, despite being deeply appalled by his actions.
“We hear a lot that he’s been very unhappy about Andrew, and he’s been one of the prime movers for having him stripped of all these things,” said Hardman. “… But at the same time, he’s well aware that this is someone who is a relative who’s still there, and there is a duty of care toward him, because as things stand, Andrew has not actually been formally convicted of anything.”
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On Feb. 19 — his birthday — Andrew was arrested and detained for 11 hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The 66-year-old has been accused of sharing information with Epstein during his time as the U.K.’s trade envoy. While Andrew was released, he is currently under investigation.
“People are very interested to know what the relationship is between William and his uncle,” said Hardman. “… They’re not in regular contact. William is very conscious of the fact that one day he will be king, and Andrew is only in his 60s. He doesn’t drink, and he’s [lived] a pretty healthy life. So, it’s highly likely that Andrew will be around when William is king.”
“William, he’s talked a lot about wanting to change things. But actually, he hasn’t been very specific about what that change might entail. And certainly, what I hear from his people is he’s not a radical. His father, actually, King Charles, is much more of a… radical. When he was William’s age, he was making very forceful speeches on a wide range of issues. William doesn’t do that.
“I don’t think William’s so much a hardliner. I think he is someone who’s got a very clear sense of how he’s going to run things and will make changes. And I think he will take away some of the traditions and unnecessary rituals and a lot of the [unnecessary] etiquette. So I think he will be a hardliner in that regard.”
“He’s [also] very strict on privacy,” Hardman continued. “The privacy of his family is uppermost in his mind. He does fewer interviews. There’s less media access to him now than there was when his father was in his role at his age.”
Hardman stressed that there is no future for Andrew.
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich previously told Fox News Digital that when William takes over the throne one day, he will swiftly address “the Andrew problem” his way.
“Prince William has long had a strained and distant relationship with Andrew,” said Fordwich, noting that William holds “a grudge against his disgraced uncle.”
“Andrew’s future within the royal family is beyond bleak, since Prince William is firmly opposed to any public rehabilitation with no foreseeable path back,” Fordwich claimed. “He wants Andrew to vanish from public view.”
“William’s strong stance on ‘the Andrew problem’ is consistent, unwavering, and his influence has been decisive in ensuring Andrew remains sidelined,” said Fordwich. “He is driven by his desire to protect the monarchy’s reputation, doing all he can to safeguard its future.”
Royal biographer Andrew Lownie previously told People magazine that William still has a close relationship with his cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Still, he favors taking a public, tougher approach when handling his uncle.
“William wants it all cleaned out before he gets [on the throne],” Lownie told the outlet. “He wants it dealt with now.”
