Why King Charles May Be Peeved With His Siblings Now
King Charles III hasn't been on the throne for long, but he's already making big moves to convey who's in his circle — and who's kicked out. Just last week, the king requested that his siblings — Anne, Princess Royal, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar — be added to the list of Counsellors of State (per Express). If granted, this would give Anne and Edward the right to stand in for the king when he's unavailable.
The request came on King Charles' 74th birthday — his first as the reigning monarch — and was considered a symbolic gesture, Daily Mail reports. Expanding the list of Counsellors of State to include Princess Anne and Prince Edward appears to be a Prince Harry snub, signaling that the Duke of Sussex likely won't be called on to support the king in the future. Notably, the move also seemed to crowd Prince Andrew, Duke of York, out of the king's ingroup.
The decision to keep Andrew at an arm's length from the royal family may not be unanimous — and it could be creating a rift between the king and his other siblings.
Princess Anne and Prince Edward attended a party with Prince Andrew against the king's wishes
Prince Andrew's position in the royal family has been complicated ever since he became embroiled in controversy. According to the BBC, the disgraced royal was stripped of most of his titles after being associated with Jeffrey Epstein and accused of sexual assault. He also stepped away from being a working royal in 2019.
A source told The Daily Mail that the Duke of York had lobbied the late Queen Elizabeth II to allow him to rejoin the royal family. However, King Charles III reportedly refused Andrew's pleas, urging him to stay out of the public eye during a heated meeting just before the queen's death.
Now, Daily Mail reports that Andrew may have disobeyed his brother by attending a shooting party on the Windsor estate two days before the king's birthday. To make matters worse, Anne, Princess Royal, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, were also in attendance, a sign of their support for the Duke of York. A source revealed, "Anne and Edward had been privately concerned about Andrew and wanted to check on him. But Charles's view is that he should not be in the public eye. His Majesty was not thrilled at all" (via The International News).
Andrew has allegedly been planning a "fightback" to re-enter public life after his accuser recently dropped her lawsuit against another man she accused of sexual abuse, according to Daily Mail.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).