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Kate Middleton\u2019s rise to popularity as a beloved member of the British royal family may have intensified tensions between Prince William and his embattled uncle, Prince Andrew<\/a>.<\/p>\n Multiple royal experts told Fox News Digital that scandal-ridden Andrew \u2014 once known as the late Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s favorite son \u2014 became increasingly jealous of the mother of three\u2019s growing influence as a relatable royal who prioritizes family.<\/p>\n \u201cThe feud between Prince William and Prince Andrew started primarily due to Andrew\u2019s jealousy and resulting disparaging remarks regarding Kate Middleton,\u201d British royals expert Hilary Fordwich<\/a> claimed to Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n PRINCE ANDREW\u2019S RUDENESS TO KATE MIDDLETON CAUSED ONGOING FEUD WITH PRINCE WILLIAM: BOOK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cPrince William<\/a> was infuriated,\u201d she claimed. \u201cBeing fiercely protective, he instituted a zero-tolerance policy toward any wayward behavior or scandals involving Prince Andrew.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Andrew announced on Oct. 17 that he was relinquishing his Duke of York title, Richard Kay, editor-at-large of the U.K.\u2019s Daily Mail<\/a>, reported in 2024 that William and Andrew were at odds over Kate.<\/p>\n \u201cDifferences between the monarch and heir do remain, especially when it comes to the Prince Andrew scandal<\/a>,\u201d he wrote at the time. \u201cWilliam has long held a grudge against Andrew for being unwelcoming when he first introduced then\u2013Kate Middleton to the royal family and feels that his father has been too soft on him.\u201d<\/p>\n WATCH: PRINCE ANDREW WAS \u2018CRUEL TO STAFF,\u2019 \u2018TOOK ADVANTAGE\u2019 OF HIS POSITION, ROYAL AUTHOR CLAIMS<\/strong><\/p>\n Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace, which handles the offices of the Prince and Princess of Wales, for comment.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the more daunting for Andrew was his displacement as his mother\u2019s \u2018golden boy\u2019 since he was viewed as Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s favorite,\u201d Fordwich claimed. \u201cHis resentment grew with his plummeting popularity and was then further exacerbated by Kate\u2019s prominence and poise<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n In August, Andrew was the subject of an unauthorized biography<\/a> by British author Andrew Lownie titled \u201cEntitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the claims the book makes is that at one point, Andrew was \u201crude\u201d to Kate, known as the prized jewel of the royal family. The alleged incident, Lownie wrote, led to a feud between the ex-duke and his nephew that has lasted for years.<\/p>\n A source also told Lownie that William, heir to the British throne<\/a>, \u201chas long worked behind the scenes to evict his uncle from Royal Lodge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike a lot of us know, William felt Andrew was a danger to the reputation of the monarchy,\u201d Lownie told Fox News Digital at the time of his book\u2019s publication.<\/p>\n \u201cMy source said Andrew was rude to Kate. And I think he was probably rude because he\u2019s a real snob. He may have felt that Kate wasn\u2019t aristocratic enough to marry William. While I can only speculate, no one has a harsh word to say about Kate Middleton. She\u2019s been the savior of the royal family.\u201d<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAndrew gets jealous of people. He may even be jealous of William\u2019s popularity. But I do know that when William comes to the throne, Andrew will be dust.\u201d<\/p>\n Lownie\u2019s book portrays Andrew as a globe-trotting, womanizing eccentric \u2014 known for strange indulgences such as \u201cair showers,\u201d a menagerie of stuffed animals, outbursts that left staff in tears, and a history of eyebrow-raising business dealings.<\/p>\n At the time, Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and a spokesperson for the duke\u2019s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n A Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital they don\u2019t speak for the prince as he\u2019s no longer a working royal. A spokesperson also previously told Fox News Digital, \u201cWe don\u2019t comment on such books.\u201d<\/p>\n Roya Nikkhah, royal editor for The Sunday Times<\/a>, wrote on Oct. 18 that William will be \u201cmore ruthless\u201d about Andrew\u2019s fate when he becomes king. She noted that Buckingham Palace confirmed the Prince of Wales was \u201cconsulted\u201d on the decision for Andrew to relinquish his royal title, adding that \u201che is not satisfied with the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen William is king, Andrew will be banned from all elements of royal life,\u201d she reported. \u201cHe will be excluded from public and private royal events, including the coronation, and banned from most state occasions.\u201d It\u2019s also understood that William, 43, will ban Ferguson, 66.<\/p>\n Fordwich claimed that Andrew resented the \u201cattention and acceptance\u201d Kate, 43, received as a working royal, despite not having an aristocratic background.<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU\u2019RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cShe was increasingly becoming more beloved and viewed as a stabilizing figure within the family. Prince William became ever more protective of Kate. As his uncle\u2019s scandal deepened, his instincts were to protect their royal reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality is that all senior members of the royal family hate being overshadowed by new, young upstarts, in their eyes,\u201d he told Fox News Digital. \u201cAndrew has always wanted more adulation for his two daughters. When Kate came along in the arms of William and was protected by the other royals, it was like a red flag to a bull.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAndrew always thought he should be king rather than Charles,\u201d he claimed. \u201cThere\u2019s always been a festering envy for many years. It\u2019s probably why William is now taking a very strong line against Andrew.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew announced he would no longer use his Duke of York title and his other honors after renewed scrutiny over his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>. In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the monarch\u2019s younger brother said, \u201cThe continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith His Majesty\u2019s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew stepped down from public life in 2019 over his association with Epstein, despite his denials of wrongdoing. His latest announcement came days after the posthumous memoir by Virginia Roberts Giuffre was published on Oct. 21. The 41-year-old, who died in April, alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew, 65, when she was 17.<\/p>\n The Sun<\/a> reported that Andrew has agreed to vacate his 30-room Royal Lodge, despite his lease, which lasts until 2078. However, he is reportedly demanding Prince Harry<\/a> and Meghan Markle\u2019s former U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage, and William and Kate\u2019s Adelaide Cottage for his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. The Prince and Princess of Wales are moving to Forest Lodge next month.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven their disgust regarding Andrew\u2019s scandals, both Prince William and Princess Catherine can\u2019t even bear the thought of living near Andrew,\u201d Fordwich claimed.<\/p>\n Following Andrew\u2019s scandals, William and Kate are said to be quietly enforcing a stricter, \u201czero-tolerance\u201d approach within the monarchy.<\/p>\n \u201cPrince William always takes the harder line,\u201d British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard previously told Fox News Digital. \u201cHe can see reputational damage escalating for the royal family and is reviewing a decisive way forward to combat further scandals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe realizes it\u2019s harder for the king to deal with his brother than it will be for him to deal with his uncle in due course,\u201d said Chard.<\/p>\n PRINCE WILLIAM SEES PRINCE ANDREW, SARAH FERGUSON AS \u2018THREAT\u2019 AS KING CHARLES FREEZES THEM OUT: EXPERTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHowever, he feels his father has teetered too long with the kid-gloves approach. Prince William and the whole royal family are fully supportive of King Charles<\/a> taking a stronger stance against his brother.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWilliam would prefer a swift, clean break with Prince Andrew before things decline further. He also hopes to shield the king from the damage,\u201d Chard said.<\/p>\n In 2021, Giuffre sued Andrew, who denied her claims and said he didn\u2019t recall meeting her. The case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. According to court documents, the prince acknowledged that Giuffre was \u201can established victim of abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n Officially stripping Andrew of his royal titles would require an act of parliament. While Andrew will no longer be referred to as the Duke of York, he will remain a prince as he is the son of the late queen. Buckingham Palace and the British government are under intense pressure to formally strip Andrew of his royal titles.<\/p>\n