Throughout Prince Andrew’s downfall, it has been widely reported that both King Charles and Prince William have intervened to prevent certain appearances, such as at the Order of the Garter ceremony.

However, reports suggest that any tension between the future king and his uncle stems from a longstanding ‘grudge’ dating back to the early days of William’s relationship with the Princess of Wales.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK!: “I think William was quick to grasp that Andrew is toxic to the royal brand. And, in a pretty ruthless and business like way, I think William has pushed for Andrew to be excluded and to stay excluded from the official royal circle.”

Referring to reports in the Express that Prince Andrew and Prince William have always had a distant relationship, Jennie added: “I have no idea whether this dates back to some kind of grudge about the way Andrew treated Catherine in the early days. I certainly never heard anything to that effect.”, reports OK!.

“I do know that Diana liked Andrew very much and she found him good fun and very welcoming. So I don’t know why he would have been any different with Catherine. But then, families are complicated! “.

Jennie Bond’s comments come after Richard Kay’s column in the Daily Mail said: “William has long held a grudge against Andrew for being unwelcoming when he first introduced the then Kate Middleton to the Royal Family and feels that his father has been too soft on him.”

Andrew is still listed as a Counsellor of State, which means he could stand in for the King during times of absence or incapacity, wielding the powers of the sovereign in urgent situations.

The official Royal Family website details the role: “By law, Counsellors of State include the Sovereign’s spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.”

It further clarifies their duties: “Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign, for example, attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom.”

In a historic move, shortly after ascending the throne, King Charles wrote to the House of Lords requesting that Princess Anne and Prince Edward be added to the Counsellors of State. This decision was seen as a considerate nod towards both Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, allowing them to maintain their roles without being completely stripped of responsibilities.

Consequently, the royals who can step in for The King include: The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, The Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Beatrice and The Princess Royal.

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