Wild Theory About Prince Andrew's Lifestyle Has All Eyes On King Charles

Prince Andrew has seemingly become a pariah among the royal family due to his ties to deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But despite having minimal official income, the Duke of York has managed to maintain his royal lifestyle — and alleged dinner party chatter regarding where he's getting the money has people glancing at his older brother, King Charles III.

In November 2024, The Times reported that the relationship between King Charles and Prince Andrew had deteriorated to the point where Charles had not only cut Andrew off financially but was attempting to evict him from the Royal Lodge estate. Prince Andrew had reportedly struggled to maintain the property since the royal family first suspended him from public duties in 2019. However, Andrew ultimately held onto the Royal Lodge after mysteriously procuring a large sum of money. Citing anonymous sources, the Daily Mail is now peddling the theory that King Charles himself is the one who floated Andrew the cash.

"He [Andrew] just doesn't have that many friends anymore. ... So, it's got to be family, and the obvious person is the King. I mean, why would anybody who's not family want to give him money when they're not going to get anything out of it except a lot of flak?" one source said. Buckingham Palace itself did not address the rumors, though sources from within the palace did dispute the Daily Mail's report. Speaking to The Daily Beast, they dismissed the whole thing as "gossip" and "dinner party speculation." 

While there's no proof King Charles is secretly paying Prince Andrew's bills as part of some elaborate scheme, additional reports claim the King is trying to mend his relationship with his younger brother amid their public dispute over Royal Lodge. According to The Mirror, Charles has reportedly invited Andrew to the royal family's annual Christmas retreat at Sandringham House. Sources say Charles' decision to reach out stems from his desire to put forth a strong family image during the holiday season — and that Andrew is indeed expected to take part.

It's unsurprising that King Charles would want to project the image of family togetherness, given that the royals' 2024 has been largely defined by health concerns. The King himself was diagnosed with cancer in February — with his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, fighting her own battle against the disease this year. Middleton herself is championing the theme of togetherness with the 2024 edition of her annual "Together at Christmas" concert.

Still, some members of the royal family remain at odds with the crown. According to People, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have been snubbed from the royals' holiday getaway yet again — which corroborates earlier reports. An anonymous friend of Harry's also told the outlet that contact between the Duke of Sussex and his father has been minimal across the board. "[Harry] has tried to reach out about the King's health," they said, "but those calls go unanswered too."