Prince William & His Disgraced Uncle Andrew May Have A Closer Relationship Than We Thought

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Members of the royal family have the added challenge of juggling their public-facing duties with the Firm and their personal interactions behind the scenes. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's birthday arrest in February 2026 was a PR nightmare for the royals, and it was just another event in the Andrew-Epstein nightmare that's stretched back years. Since William, Prince of Wales is next in line for the throne, the endless issues are likely adding a lot of stress. However, although people have long presumed that William and Andrew don't have a strong bond, behind the scenes it seems that he and his uncle might have a tighter relationship.

When Andrew gave up the last of his remaining titles in October 2025, it seemed to signal an ending to both his public life as well as his connections with his family. According to Robert Hardman's book, "Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story," William offered crucial emotional support to his uncle. Despite their rocky relationship in other instances, William's phone call was a small act of kindness that made a huge impact.

William's reported gesture demonstrates that his attitude toward Andrew has evolved over time. Back in 2019, William was purportedly so incensed by Andrew's infamous BBC interview that he proposed estrangement. However, after William's "brutal" 2024 when he dealt with both King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales' cancer diagnoses, he may have felt more empathy towards Andrew.

Robert Hardman's revelation about William, Prince of Wales and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor might be just a snapshot of one outlying moment in time. Some people aren't convinced that their relationship has improved. "Everyone knows William's feelings about his uncle. He's never had a close relationship with him," one of the prince's friends asserted to Hello! in February 2026. Prior to that their reported phone call, William was very careful about his public interactions with Andrew. For instance, at a family funeral in September 2025, when Andrew talked to William, William didn't even turn his head towards Andrew initially, and he didn't return Andrew's grin.

William's relationship with Andrew has been complicated over the years, and Andrew's behavior since he lost his titles apparently hasn't scored him any points with his nephew. Instead, Prince Edward and Anne, Princess Royal seem to be taking the lead in terms of emotional support for Andrew, with both phone and in-person check-ins. 

In April 2026, Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, visited Andrew post-move. Months earlier, Andrew had an embarrassing meltdown when he left Royal Lodge. "Both [Edward] and Princess Anne are understandably concerned about Andrew's mental state and what is going to become of him," a royal insider confided to the Daily Mail. Andrew reportedly hasn't come to terms with his new life situation, which likely makes things even more difficult for his family.