Prince William's Alleged "Ultimatum" About Ex-Prince Andrew

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor standing with King Charles and Prince William at the Duchess of Kent's funeral — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been engulfed by allegations regarding his association with Jeffrey Epstein, and was even arrested and questioned as a result. Now, a royal commentator has suggested that Prince William delivered an "ultimatum" to King Charles regarding the former Prince Andrew's behavior.

According to a Daily Mail columnist, the royals are likely wondering whether any more allegations or information regarding Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein will come to light. "The revelations to come, the sordidness, the potential criminality—and who else might be implicated—pose an existential threat to the future of the British Royal Family," the outlet explained.

The columnist further noted, "It's what William is said to have been warning about, to nearly no avail. Convincing his father to strip Andrew of his titles, which was formally announced on October 30, 2025, took an ultimatum."

Prince Andrew, King Charles and Prince William in suits at the Duchess of Kent's funeral — "It's what William is said to have been warning about."

A royal source seemingly confirmed William's dislike of his disgraced uncle, telling the Daily Mail, "William absolutely loathes Andrew and has for years."

The source also noted that William "would have Andrew banished" if he was able to make the decision. "He told his father: 'It's either him or me,'" the source shared. "So, Charles had to step up and ice Andrew out."

Another source suggested that Andrew is under surveillance following his very public arrest. "Andrew is on watch," the insider explained. "He's an international pariah, and this [arrest] is just the trade envoy stuff."

Prince Andrew and Prince William both wear black suits to attend a funeral — "William absolutely loathes Andrew and has for years."

Per the Daily Mail, "Charles has always been conflict averse...And the very Shakespearean twist here is that his avoidance, his unwillingness to make the hard decision swiftly and confidently, is what will likely cost him his legacy."

Basically, the ongoing ex-Prince Andrew scandal is akin to a "Shakespearean" tragedy in many ways, and is yet to reach its denouement.

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.