Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Edward, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne
Pictured: Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Prince Edward on the occasion of a dinner to mark the forthcoming Diamond Wedding Anniversary of The Queen and The Duke on Nov. 18, 2007. Getty Images/Tim Graham

KEY POINTS

  • Prince Charles wants to slim down the monarchy. 
  • Prince Charles' snub in 2012 was like a dagger to Prince Andrew's heart. 
  • Prince Andrew was furious with Prince Charles' desire to slim down the monarchy. 

Prince Charles has always wanted a slimmed-down monarchy, but not all members of the royal family agreed with him especially in the beginning.

In an article he wrote for Daily Mail, royal correspondent Richard Kay revealed that the Prince of Wales already tried to trim down the monarchy in 2012 when he excluded Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie from making an appearance at the balcony for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

One of Prince Andrew’s friends told Kay that Prince Charles’ decision was like a dagger to the Duke of York’s heart. Prince Charles’ attempts to slim down the royal family didn’t also sit well with his other siblings.

“Andrew was furious, Edward dismayed, while Anne, the hardest-working royal, remember, knew that as the only woman in the Queen’s family, she would always have a role. The Queen was uncertain about the plan at first, recalling how, ten years earlier, at her Golden Jubilee, the family had filled the balcony and the public loved it,” he said.

But in the end, Her Majesty accepted Prince Charles’ belief that the changes were necessary because the mood of the public has also changed.

Meanwhile, royal author Katie Nicholl claimed that Prince Charles’ desire to trim down the royal family strengthened after Prince Philip skipped the royal family’s celebrations due to his illness. Nicholl wrote in “Harry: Life, Loss, and Love” that if the Duke of Edinburgh, he wouldn’t have agreed with his eldest son.

In related news, Prince Charles also made headlines this week after his bizarre demands to his household staff were revealed. While speaking with The Sunday Times, Evan Samson, the hospitality manager at Dumfries Houses, said that Prince Charles is very particular with his tea.

In order for him to serve the best tea, Prince Charles wants Samson to use a thermometer to check the temperature of the water. He also uses organic honey instead of sugar to make the tea more flavorful.

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