King Charles handling Prince Andrew carefully to avoid escalating tensions

King Charles is reportedly struggling to distance himself from his disgraced brother Andrew as he keeps calling him after being evicted from the Royal Lodge.

The monarch is said to be forced into managing contact with the former Duke of York behind the scenes.

An insider revealed that Charles is trying to strike a careful balance while dealing with repeated outreach from Andrew as completely cutting him off could risk escalating tensions.

According to sources, the monarch is handling the matter cautiously in an effort to contain potential fallout and protect the stability of the wider institution.

"Every time Andrew makes contact, it pulls Charles right back into a situation he's been trying very hard to distance himself from,” they said.

The source added, “It's not something he can simply ignore or shut down, even if that's what he would prefer, because there's an ongoing need to manage Andrew and keep a lid on any potential fallout.

"This is a highly delicate balancing act. Charles knows that cutting Andrew off entirely could escalate things, so he's trying to contain the situation rather than inflame it.

The difficulty is that the more Andrew pushes – whether through demands about his accommodation or constant contact – the greater the risk it creates, not just for himself but for others connected to him.

“That's what makes it so fraught, and why Charles is handling it so cautiously in an effort to protect the stability of the wider institution."