Why Prince Charles Has Never Gotten Along With This Member Of The Royal Family

It’s often been reported that Prince Charles has had issues with his younger brother, Prince Andrew. Now, a documentary is alleging that the poor relationship between the brothers may be stem from some jealousy Prince Charles had from childhood.

According to the new documentary “The Royal Family at War,” the age difference between Charles, who is 70, and Andrew, who is 59, is really what has caused so much tension between them, because of how their births factored into Queen Elizabeth’s reign. While Charles was born just four years ahead of his mother becoming Queen, and as a result, was left with nannies often during his formative years because of his mother’s busy schedule, things were more settled by the time Andrew was born in 1960, and the Queen was able to form a different relationship with her second son as a result.

“The Queen was much more settled in her role,” royal biographer Katie Nicholl stated in the documentary. “She was able to be much more hands-on with Andrew and Edward than she was for Charles and Anne, so perhaps there was a bit of envy in that regard.”

In addition, Prince Charles was already in school, isolated and alone, while his brother got the life he didn’t at that age.

“Charles had already been packed off to school by then, He was at Gordonstoun, he was miserable, he hated it,” royal correspondent Victoria Arbiter added. “And there is Andrew at home being rocked by mummy and read bedtime stories and all the things Charles probably would have wished he had been able to have if the Queen wasn’t so duty-bound at the start of her reign.”

The new claims come as stories continue to circulate about the relationship between Charles and his brother, as the heir to the throne’s alleged plans for when he becomes King have been reported. Prince Charles allegedly wants to “slim down” the monarchy and is intent on restricting taxpayer funding to just his direct family members—meaning him, his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, sons Prince William and Prince Harry, their wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, and their children.

However, Prince Andrew is reportedly furious about Charles’ views, especially since his daughters, Princess Eugenie and Beatrice, are the only blood princesses of their generation, making them more worthy of a larger role.

These plans have reportedly been in the works for a while, as it led to tensions coming to a head between the brothers during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Only she, Charles, Camilla, William, Harry and Kate were seen on Buckingham Palace’s balcony at the time, and Andrew’s been angry ever since that his family was excluded from the momentous occasion.

“Andrew is the father of the only two blood princesses of that generation and quite rightfully, he thinks Beatrice and Eugenie have quite a lot to offer,” Arbiter said. “I think Andrew is very keen for his daughter to have a position front and center but Charles isn’t having it, so the brothers are at a bit of loggerheads.”