Though we’re certainly in no rush to get King Charles off the throne, attention has to be paid to the future reign of his son and heir, Prince William.The Prince of Wales reportedly has no plans to bring his uncle Prince Andrew back into the working fold of the royal family after the Duke of York stepped back from duty in 2019.Among other allegations, Andrew has been accused of sexual assault and for allegedly developing a friendship with a Chinese spy.
A new report from The Times sheds light on whether Prince William will welcome former working royal Prince Andrew back into the fold when he becomes King William someday.
Because of the Duke of York’s numerous scandals—like his disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, his associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew’s own sexual assault allegations, and, most recently, his alleged association with a Chinese spy—the Prince of Wales apparently sees his uncle as too much of a “risk” to the monarchy.
Prince William and Prince Andrew on November 10, 2019.
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Per The New York Post, Andrew “will not be returning as a working member of the royal family under Prince William’s reign,” adding that Andrew is seen as a “threat” to the Firm, and that William “refuses to even explore the premise of allowing him to return to public-facing duties.”
This is a sticking point that William is “adamant” about, the outlet continued, with a source previously telling The Sun that Andrew’s “door to a return is firmly closed.”
Though Andrew has been seen more frequently in public with the royal family since Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022—attending Easter services alongside the royal family, as well as appearing at Sandringham for Christmas under his older brother King Charles’s reign—this shouldn’t be seen as a sign that Andrew will become a working royal again anytime soon.
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at Easter on April 20, 2025.
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In a prior report from The Times, the outlet claimed that William in particular is “no fan of Uncle Andrew,” and that “There is no way in the world he’s [Andrew] ever coming back. The family will never let it happen.”
“Any suggestion that there isn’t gratitude for the institution [of the monarchy], anything that could lead anyone in the public to think that senior members of the royal family aren’t grateful for their position, [William thinks] is really dangerous,” a friend told the publication.
Per People, it’s not just William that feels this way—Charles does, too, as father and son are unified in the decision that “there will never be a return to public life for Andrew.”
King Charles and Prince William on May 13, 2024.
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As for William’s brother Prince Harry, also a former senior working royal who is now no longer working for the Firm? Any hope of a return to the royal fold, too, seems an impossibility for the Duke of Sussex (though likely he wouldn’t be interested in the first place). In a June 25 cover story for Us Weekly, royal commentator Amanda Matta said that a formal return to royal life for Harry “feels incredibly unlikely. Especially if we’re talking about William offering his brother a way back. The trust isn’t there.”
Prince Harry on April 8, 2025.
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“Harry left a large gap in William’s world, not just personally but practically,” a source told the outlet. “The whole idea was for Harry to work hand-in-hand with William and to divide and conquer during William’s monarchy. So Harry not being there is tough. He feels deserted by his brother—not that he would ever say that out loud.”