It would mark Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s last public outing with the Royal Family – but the Duchess of Kent’s funeral also served to illuminate the Prince and Princess of Wales’s true feelings towards the former Duke of York.
Gathering on the steps of Westminster Cathedral after the Requiem Mass service on Tuesday, September 16, the former prince appeared to be visibly shunned by his relatives as he stood there grinning alongside his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
The disgraced royal’s joyful appearance seemed to embarrass William, who warned his uncle that his laughter at such a solemn occasion was ‘not a good look’, a source previously claimed, before appearing to shut down any further chat with Andrew.
Footage of the frosty exchange showed William, 43, looking deeply uncomfortable – and revealed publicly for the first time the Prince’s true feelings towards Andrew, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office yesterday on his 66th birthday.
But it wasn’t only William who made his feelings known. Kate also displayed a chilly attitude towards the former Duchess of York, also known as ‘Fergie’, following the private memorial service, according to body language expert Judi James.
In an extraordinary exchange captured as the royals stood outside the cathedral, the Princess appeared to deliberately ignore Fergie by refusing to engage in any conversation, while also turning her head as she walked past.
Judi said Kate’s deliberate evasion showed her fulfilling her role as ‘the Firm’s protective huntress’, by seeking to ‘ward off any unwanted attention and posing on behalf of her husband’.
As Andrew’s arrest triggered arguably the biggest crisis in the monarchy for nearly 400 years, his brother, the King, insisted the former Duke should be subject to the full force of British justice, saying: ‘The law must take its course.’
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince William at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025
Sarah Ferguson (pictured right, next to the Princess of Wales) also attended the funeral
In an unprecedented and historic personal statement, Charles, 77, expressed his ‘deepest concern’ at the news police had picked up Andrew in extraordinary scenes on Thursday morning at the monarch’s private estate in Norfolk, to where the ex-prince had recently been exiled after the removal of his titles.
The King also pledged his ‘full and wholehearted support and co-operation’ with the ongoing police investigation.
The charge is a rare but serious crime, liable for trial by jury, and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Andrew, who has since been released under investigation, has not yet been charged.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have expressed their support for the King’s statement following the arrest of his brother Andrew.
Prince William and Kate approve of the monarch’s words issued, the Press Association understands.
It comes after the Prince of Wales was said to be a ‘driving force’ in the ousting of his uncle, who last year was stripped of his titles after it emerged the former Duke had lied about cutting ties with Epstein.
While King Charles was the one to put his brother under pressure to relinquish his dukedom, before officially stripping him of his titles, William ‘called the shots’ behind the scenes, leading historian Andrew Lownie told the Daily Mail.
Weeks earlier, the father-of-three had made his feelings about the former Duke clear at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral.
An extraordinary exchange captured between the future King and his uncle showed William deliberately shielding his mouth while making a quick remark to Andrew
On what was a sombre occasion, Andrew was seen breaking into laughter while standing next to William
Andrew was seen grinning and trying to strike up a conversation with William on the steps of Westminster Abbey, despite the solemnity of the occasion.
Moments after the Duchess’s coffin was carried into the state hearse, Andrew jovially attempted to engage his clearly embarrassed nephew.
According to a lip reader, Andrew attempted to reminisce, saying: ‘We had a lovely time, didn’t we, then?’
William’s silence spoke volumes; he made no reply and simply glanced at Andrew before looking ahead, thin-lipped, rubbing his nose and rocking on his heels.
After a tense pause, the Duke attempted to continue the conversation. ‘And spending time with us,’ he added, to which William did not respond, instead simply nodding his head in silence.
In another moment during the solemn occasion, the future King seemingly attempted to bring Andrew’s profuse grinning to a stop by covering his mouth and appearing to say something, which resulted in Andrew abruptly dropping the smile.
A royal insider told the Daily Mail: ‘William is deliberately speaking behind his hand so you can’t see what he is saying. William was clearly aware that the cameras were on them and felt uncomfortable.’
The source added: ‘He [William] is pretty media savvy and would have known it might not be a good look [by Andrew] and also did not want to be seen chatting to his uncle.’
The Princess of Wales and the former Duchess of York at the funeral in London in September
The exchange appeared to give context to Lownie’s claims that a ‘ruthless’ William was the driving force behind the Royal Family’s decision to ostracise Andrew.
William acted decisively to protect his cancer-stricken father – and the Crown – by cutting off his errant uncle and taking away his dukedom and other honours, the historian said.
Mr Lownie said King Charles is battling cancer, ‘and now William is beginning to call the shots’.
He added: ‘He’s much more ruthless than his father, and I think he can see the huge reputational damage that’s been done.’
Meanwhile, Kate also made her feelings clear at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral, where she appeared to deliberately ignore Fergie by refusing to engage in any conversation.
The funeral service came just days before Fergie was sensationally revealed by the Mail on Sunday to have apologised to Epstein in 2011 for letting him down, describing the sex offender as her ‘supreme friend’.
Following the bombshell revelation, she was dropped as a patron from seven charities. The former Duchess later claimed she had sent the fawning email in a bid to protect Princess Beatrice and Eugenie after a ‘chilling’ phone call with Epstein.
Yet even prior to such scandalous revelations, Kate seemed to have been already attempting to distance herself from Fergie, avoiding any eye contact or amicable small talk in spite of their physically close proximity.
William, Kate and Andrew at the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent
Explaining her mirroring of William and acute perception of Fergie’s presence, Judi James told The Mail: ‘Her peripheral vision sees at first to be aware and wary of Fergie who is moving around behind and beside her.
‘Her closed hand and her unsmiling expression signal no desire to engage or talk here, just keep the ex Royal in sight.’
Andrew spent 11 hours in police custody yesterday on his 66th birthday, after plain-clothed officers swooped on his Wood Farm residence in an 8am raid.
Police were spotted attending the Norfolk home again shortly after 6am this morning, while vehicles have also been seen arriving at Royal Lodge.
Andrew was released under investigation and was pictured cowering in the back of a car as he left Aylsham police station shortly after 7pm last night.
It is understood his arrest was in relation to allegations he passed sensitive information to Epstein while acting as a trade envoy for the British government.
Searches are being carried out at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk, Thames Valley Police have said.
There has so far been no word from Fergie or her daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, and questions have been mounting over their whereabouts.
