Did You Know THIS Royal Member Was The First To Distance Herself From Ex-Prince Andrew?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Princess of Wales was the first member of the senior royal family to quietly distance herself from Prince Andrew well before his formal removal from royal duties, according to claims made by royal author Christopher Andersen in a recent interview.

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Speaking to the New York Post's Page Six in an exclusive interview, Andersen alleged that Kate Middleton had deliberately refused to engage with Andrew at family gatherings and holidays, long before the Duke of York was formally stripped of his remaining royal titles and privileges.

“Kate Middleton was the first royal to wash her hands of the disgraced ex-Prince Andrew,” Andersen told the publication, adding that“The Princess of Wales refused to speak to Andrew at family functions and during holidays.”

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The claims, while unverified by Kensington Palace, add fresh attention to Prince Andrew's increasingly isolated position within the royal family following years of controversy surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations made by Virginia Giuffre.

Andrew's public standing has been in steep decline since his widely criticised 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, in which he attempted to address his relationship with Epstein. The interview prompted widespread public backlash and led to his withdrawal from public royal duties shortly afterwards.

His legal troubles escalated further after Virginia Giuffre accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17, allegations Andrew repeatedly denied. In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre without admitting liability.

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The controversy continued to cast a long shadow over the monarchy, with King Charles III reportedly moving to further distance the institution from his younger brother. In October 2025, Andrew was formally stripped of his remaining honorary military affiliations and royal titles, a move widely viewed as an effort to protect the monarchy's public standing amid sustained scrutiny.

Andersen's comments suggest that the Princess of Wales may have been among the earliest senior royals to signal discomfort over Andrew's continued presence at private family events.

Andrew was also detained by authorities on 19 February 2026 - his 66th birthday - over allegations of misconduct in public office linked to his historical association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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He was reportedly questioned for 11 hours before being released while investigations remain ongoing.

Neither Kensington Palace nor Buckingham Palace has publicly commented on the claims.

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