A new royal biography has revealed how the Prince of Wales urged decisive action against the Duke of York following his disastrous television appearance over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. In ‘William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story’ by Russell Myers, the royal editor of the Daily Mirror discloses that Prince William pressed both his father and grandmother to take firm steps in the wake of Prince Andrew’s widely criticised BBC Newsnight interview in 2019.
According to the book, William believed the monarchy was “engaged in a full-scale fire fight” and faced a serious threat to its future amid public outrage over Andrew’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The biography claims William implored his father and the late Queen Elizabeth II to remove Andrew from public life permanently, regarding his continued presence as “a stain on all the family”.
However, the Prince is said to have faced resistance, as his parents were in favour of protecting Andrew, and King Charles reportedly “put him [William] in his place” during tense discussions.
A source told the author: “Once you understand the fact that everything that happens in the here and now, affects everything in the future, William’s future, it is very easy to put yourself in his shoes. He never much liked his uncle and wanted him out of the picture immediately before the rot further set in. William’s view was that he [Andrew] got himself into the whole mess, so he should be left to his own devices to sort it out away from the family.”
The book also details William and Catherine’s reaction to subsequent developments, including police assessments by Thames Valley Police and discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service. Earlier this week, the Prince and Princess of Wales issued an unprecedented statement saying they were “deeply concerned by the continued revelations” involving Andrew, adding their thoughts “remain focused on the victims”.
Myers said: “I’ve spent almost a decade following The Prince and Princess of Wales as part of the Royal pack and have always believed there’s so much more to the couple than the spectacle reveals.
“The result of this biography is a truly intimate portrait of William and Catherine; providing not just unparalleled insight into who they are as individuals, but seismic revelations about them as a couple and the world they inhabit. This biography moves beyond the headlines as it explores love, resilience, and their journey together as they navigate their public duties amid this unprecedented era.”
The book is released on February 26.