Members of the Royal Family are, undeniably, familiar with making headlines. But those headlines aren't always the most flattering, which has certainly been the case in the last few weeks. ICYMI (how!?) the royals have once again been embroiled in the scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his alleged ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which has seen a bout of renewed interest following the posthumous release of Virginia Giuffre's Nobody's Girl memoir.
The spotlight on the scandal prompted the King to strip Andrew of his Prince title, just days after he gave up using his Duke of York title. He's also been told to move out of his beloved Royal Lodge home. As for who is pulling the strings to make all that happen, several royal insiders have suggested Prince William and Kate Middleton have taken "charge".
"William and Kate are completely aligned on this," a senior royal aide told RadarOnline of the Prince and Princess of Wales' involvement in handling the scandal. "They've told the King that things have to change."
"The Waleses are taking charge and drawing clear lines," another insider added, describing William and Kate as "devastated and angry" over what has been going on. All of this comes amid growing concern over King Charles' health. The monarch has been battling cancer since the start of last year, prompting insiders to suggest Prince William is now running the show. "Charles, it seems, has all but handed over the crown," said Daily Mail royal expert Maureen Callahan.
With that in mind, here's all of the ways Prince William and Kate have been "taking charge" amid the Andrew scandal...
Putting pressure on King Charles over the Duke of York title
In October 2025, Andrew released a statement via Buckingham Palace announcing he will no longer use his Duke of York title: "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first."
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"I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me," he went on. "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."
Following Andrew's statement, many speculated that William had urged Charles to take the title away.
Threatening to strip Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of their titles
According to insider sources, Andrew's title was not the only one on William's chopping block. While questions surrounded Andrew's right to live at the lavish Royal Lodge home he had a lease on, William allegedly threatened to strip his cousins – Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie – of their titles if they couldn't convince their father to move out.
It's worth noting, however, that William doesn't have the legal right to strip anyone of their Prince or Princess titles. What's more, Kensington Palace has apparently denied this rumour altogether. According to royal editor, Emily Ferguson, at the Express, Kensington Palace has completely denied that any meeting between William and his cousins took place and that reports of these threats are "factually inaccurate".
Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
Removing Andrew's personal banner from Windsor Castle
Removing Andrew's title was just the beginning for William, according to ShuterScoop's Rob Shuter, who said William ensured Andrew's "personal banner" and coat of arms were completely removed from St. George's Chapel on the Windsor Estate. According to a royal source who commented on the move, which is usually reserved for "traitors and exiles", this marked the "final nail in the coffin."
"This wasn't just paperwork — it was symbolic," the insider said. "Prince William wanted to send a message: the monarchy is moving forward, and Andrew isn't part of it."
Publicly distancing themselves from Andrew
The Prince and Princess of Wales have made no secret of their disdain for Andrew. According to royal author Tina Brown, the couple wants to fully "banish" Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, adding that they "can't abide" the pair and want them to "disappear." This is particularly true given that the former Duke and Duchess of York live just a stone's throw from William and Kate's new home.
"[William] wants [Andrew] out and he is likely to do this as soon as he can," agreed another royal author, Tom Sykes. "Almost as soon as he becomes King, William is planning to formally banish Andrew from the Royal Family," he told the Daily Mail.
Excluding Andrew from royal events
With the festive season fast approaching, William is believed to have given his dad, King Charles, an "ultimatum" over Andrew and Sarah's invite to Christmas.
According to a courtier who spoke to ShuterScoop, "It was an ultimatum: Andrew goes, or the monarchy does. Andrew will never appear alongside William again. Not at Christmas, not at Easter, not ever." This meant Andrew was swiftly uninvited to the Royal Family's Christmas in Sandringham, which sources confirmed to The Times.
Making "power moves" within the monarchy
King Charles is head of the British monarchy, but several royal insiders argue that William is making all the decisions. According to Daily Mail royal expert Maureen Callahan, William has been "making power moves" and is "already leading the Royal Family, intent on preserving the realm."
Another senior aide told ShuterScoop: "Charles wears the crown, but William has the power. Andrew is finished. And William has just shown the world who's really in charge."
