Welcome to “The Scoop” — the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. and Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.
(NewsNation) —There is a lot of talk these days of King Charles or Prince William (when he succeeds Charles) pulling Prince Andrew and Prince Harry’s “Duke” titles due to their respective bad behaviors (to be fair: Prince Andrew’s behavior has been demonstrably worse than Harry’s but both are on the bottom of the public opinion totem pole in the U.K.).
But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
”There is no way Charles would do it,” a well-placed insider told me.
Prince Harry denies book’s claim of physical fight with Prince Andrew
“Everyone keeps saying William will take away Andrew and Harry’s titles when he becomes king, but he literally can’t do that without an act of Parliament,” my insider explained.
“There is absolutely no way William would do that as it would bring even more attention to the issues with them both.”
Instead, Andrew will be relegated to royal Siberia (even more so than he is now), and “not be invited to any family gatherings.”
As of now, Andrew is still invited to Sandringham for Christmas and walks with the family to church.
Prince Andrew will not be invited to ‘anything’ with William in charge
However, after King Charles dies and William is in charge, “there is no way Andrew will be invited to anything anymore.”
As for Harry, unless there is a serious breakthrough in the coming years, he will likely get the same treatment from William — silence.
FILE – Britain’s Prince Andrew appears at the Royal Chapel at Windsor, following the death announcement of his father Prince Philip, April 11, 2021, in England. Prince Andrew has lost another ceremonial honor as groups throughout Britain cut ties to the royal disgraced by allegations of sexual misconduct. Councilors in the northern city of York on Wednesday night, April 27, 2022, voted unanimously to withdraw the prince’s status as a “freeman of the city.” The honor was awarded to Andrew in 1987 after Queen Elizabeth II made him the Duke of York. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP, File)
”King Charles has to invite his brother to family events,” my insider said. “William doesn’t.”
And while King Charles may want to revive contact with Harry, and perhaps see his grandchildren Lilibet and Archie, one last time before he dies, William is “done” with his brother.
William and Kate wash hands of Harry and Meghan
As an insider told me earlier this year, there’s “no way would Kate or William allow them a private audience,” my source said. “They haven’t spoken to them (since Harry’s tell-all memoir “Spare” — in which he talked about both Kate and William — came out early last year) and don’t want to. It would be a PR opportunity and they’d likely blab everything to Gayle King a day later.”
William and Kate are said to have washed their hands of Harry and Meghan and are “not interested in any drama” that a visit (or renewing of relations) might bring.
MARLOW, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 12: Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales attend a SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023, in Marlow, England. The Prince and Princess of Wales are carrying out engagements across the UK to mark World Mental Health Day and to highlight the importance of mental wellbeing, particularly in young people. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
This spells bad news for Harry, who is said to be desperately lonely in Montecito, and for Meghan, who, as I wrote two weeks ago, needs to be seen as royal in order for her varied businesses to succeed.
Meghan Markle celebrates 44th birthday, thanks Harry and friends
A close insider told me in July after palace reps were seen talking to Harry and Meghan’s PR people: Meghan “realizes she miscalculated when she orchestrated Megxit and then basically smeared the royal family in the Oprah Winfrey interview and the Netflix docuseries. … The royal family does not need Harry or Meghan,” my insider said. “But Harry and Meghan need the royal family … they are only valuable individually if they are tied to the royal family. Being ‘royal’ translates to money and deals for them. If [Harry and Meghan] are cast aside, they have no value.”
But while Harry may keep his title, it’s small solace for the prince who is having his own Annus Horribilis.
Harry and Meghan’s charitable efforts has been bumpy
The U.K.’s Charity Commission cleared Harry from bullying complaints leveled at him by the Sentebale chair, Sophie Chaundauka. Instead, “it criticized all sides for letting the fight play out publicly, according to The New York Times.
Chandauka made a series of allegations against Harry, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, his co-founder and against the board of trustees after they resigned in March. She accused them of “abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir,” a term that refers to sexism toward Black women.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pose for pictures after visiting the observation desk in One World Trade in New York, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The two princes stepped down in solidarity with five of the board’s nine trustees, who had quit after they lost confidence in Chandauka and called on her to resign. The former trustees also reported their concerns to the Charity Commission, the independent watchdog that oversees charities in England and Wales.
Howard Stern’s show may be canceled; host promises he’ll be ‘back’
Harry is said to be fuming that he was criticized at all in the matter and his rep told People that the report fell “troublingly short in many regards.” The charity “has been a deeply personal and transformative mission for Prince Harry, established to serve some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana,” the statement added. “For 19 years, its dedicated staff and steadfast supporters have provided vital care to over 100,000 young people across southern Africa, including young people living with HIV/AIDS and those facing mental health challenges.
“As custodians of this once brilliant charity, Prince Seeiso, Prince Harry and the former Board of Trustees helped grow Sentebale from the seed of an idea to — like its namesake — a flowering force for good. With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind — and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso began — The Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana.”
Either way, Harry’s dream of devoting his life to charity has hit several snags this year.
As well as formerly heading Sentebale, Harry is head of Invictus Games — a charity he started in 2014 for wounded warriors — is on the board of Africa Parks and heads up Archewell, the foundation he started with his wife.
As I exclusively reported last month, Archewell was found to have given over $50,000 to an anti-Israel activist (upon learning from me about the allegation, Archewell immediately cut ties with the group), and now, there’s massive trouble afoot with his other beloved cause, African Parks.
Last month, it was announced that an investigation led by Cherie Blair — the wife of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair — found that a charity Prince Harry is connected to admitted its rangers commit human rights abuses against those in the Republic of Congo indigenous communities, according to reports. Harry is also said to be stung that he and Meghan were passed over by TimeE magazine for its 100 list of philanthropists — the magazine instead awarded the honor to Harry’s nemesis, brother Prince William and Princess Catherine.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
