Why Prince Andrew’s ‘Nasty’ Comments About Kate Sparked a Royal Cold War
Jaden Patel reporting. Let’s all take a moment to pretend we’re shocked: old-school family feuds have gone digital-age messy, and someone said something “nasty” about the future queen.
Prince Andrew, 65, has long been the royal family’s problem child, but according to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, it was allegedly crude personal remarks about Kate Middleton that helped turn Prince William, 43, permanently away from his uncle. Lownie lays out the claim in his new book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, and told Radar Online that Andrew’s comments felt like a final straw in an already strained relationship.
To be clear, the specifics of what was said have not been published, nor confirmed by palace spokespeople, but Lownie frames the alleged jabs as coming from jealousy. He argues that Andrew resented how Catherine had become a linchpin for the monarchy after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, stepping into the public-duty role with the sort of competence that makes the royals breathe easier. “I can’t see how anyone could make unkind comments about Kate when she’s been the family’s saving grace,” Lownie told Radar Online, per excerpts in the New York Post’s coverage of the book. That sentiment, combined with Andrew’s other scandals, is cited as the rationale for William’s distancing.
Let’s put some corroborating context next to the gossip: Andrew’s fallout with his nephews has been public for years, following his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and additional controversy over alleged links to Chinese businessman Yang Tengbo. Those associations led to Andrew stepping back from public duties and losing formal royal patronages in 2019 and 2020, a series of documented events that have reshaped his role within the institution. Multiple outlets, including the New York Post and Radar Online, have reported on Lownie’s claims and palace responses or lack thereof.
Lownie’s thesis is essentially two-fold. First, Andrew allegedly made rude remarks about Kate that were so tone-deaf they alienated William emotionally. Second, William’s sense of public duty and intolerance for drama made him inclined to treat Andrew as an ongoing liability. “William has a very strong sense of public duty and is doing his best to keep the show on the road,” Lownie said, arguing that William has “enough on his plate without having to think about his uncle.”
The author also cites unnamed insiders who believe William has effectively decided Andrew’s fate under the future reign, suggesting Andrew will not return as a working royal when William becomes king. Those same sources claim William regards Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, as risks to the Firm and would move to evict them from Royal Lodge if necessary. Again, these are attributed to book research and insider testimony rather than official palace announcements.
Fact-checking note: the palace and Andrew’s representatives were reportedly contacted for comment by the New York Post and others but no substantive public rebuttal to Lownie’s claims was issued at the time of reporting. And while the alleged “nasty” comments are used as an explanatory linchpin in Lownie’s narrative, they have not been independently verified in a public record or direct quote from William or Kate.
So what’s the takeaway? Combine long-standing reputational damage, alleged personal barbs, and a future monarch who prioritizes stability and you get a recipe for permanent estrangement. William’s alleged impatience with family drama aligns with his public actions since the queen’s passing: consolidating focus, trimming liabilities, and shepherding the monarchy toward what he sees as functional governance.
As with most royal melodramas, some ingredients are documented—Epstein ties, lost patronages, official distancing—while other elements rely on memoir-style whistleblowing and named-biographer claims. That mix is juicy enough for tabloids and troublesome enough for palace aides.
Keep your eyes on Royal Lodge and Clarence House. If eviction whispers turn into official announcements, Lownie’s narrative might look more prophetic than provocative.
Well, there you have it. Tune in next time for more bad family manners and questionable judgment.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Radar Online, New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
