NEED TO KNOW

  • When Prince William is king, he will take a tougher stance on Prince Andrew than his father King Charles, according to a report from The Sunday Times
  • William will ban Andrew from all aspects of royal life, including his coronation, the outlet reported
  • The news comes a day after Andrew announced that he is giving up his royal titles amid renewed interest in his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

Prince William plans to put his foot down when it comes to matters concerning his uncle, Prince Andrew.

When the Prince of Wales, 43, becomes king, he will take a tougher stance than his father King Charles did in relation to his disgraced uncle, 65, banning him from all aspects of royal life, according to a report from The Sunday Times.

The news comes a day after Andrew — who has spent recent years battling the fallout from his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — released a statement on Oct. 17, announcing that he is giving up his royal titles and honors. It’s a seismic decision that several members of the royal family consulted on, including William and the King, PEOPLE understands.

A palace insider tells PEOPLE that the King and the Prince of Wales are in lockstep on the decision announced on Oct. 17, but The Sunday Times reported that, unlike Charles, William is not satisfied with the outcome.

When he takes the throne, he will ban Andrew from royal life altogether, including both public and private royal events, as well as most state occasions, plus his coronation, the outlet said.

Prince Andrew and King Charles pictured in 2022.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty 

Prince William will also ban Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson from all royal events, per The Sunday Times.

Fergie, 66, who has remained close with her Andrew since their divorce almost 30 years ago, has been embroiled in her own controversy due to her ties to Epstein. Like her ex-husband, she will no longer use her royal title moving forward.

The royal titles and positions of the former couple’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, meanwhile, will not be affected by the latest bombshell. According to The Sunday Times, William will continue to include the princesses in royal events and family affairs when he is king.

Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace had no comment when reached by PEOPLE.

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew in September 2025.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty 

Prince Andrew’s fall from grace began in 2010 due to his alleged connections to billionaire predator Epstein, but the heat was turned up exponentially in 2015 when he was named in a civil suit against the convicted sex offender.

In the lawsuit, a woman later identified as Virginia Giuffre (formerly Roberts), claimed she was ordered by Epstein to have sex with Andrew on three separate occasions when she was 17 years old.

In January 2022, Prince Andrew’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, stripped him of his military titles and patronages amid a sexual assault lawsuit against him by Giuffre, first filed in 2021. Andrew denied any wrongdoing, and in February 2022, he settled with Giuffre out of court for an undisclosed sum. Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41.

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On Oct. 17, amid renewed interest in his ties to Epstein, Prince Andrew announced he would no longer be using his titles and honors, including the Duke of York, in a statement released by Buckingham Palace.

Prince William, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice in 2013.

Samir Hussein/WireImage

“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” he said in the statement. “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”

“With His Majesty’s 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,” Andrew continued. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

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