William 'wants absolutely nothing to do with Andrew'

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After nearly a decade of speculation over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a royal source is shedding light on why Prince William and Kate Middleton remained silent for so many years — and why William "wants absolutely nothing to do" with his uncle.

Keep reading for more on the royal drama … 

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The Prince and Princess of Wales recently broke their silence on the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, publicly addressing concerns surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's relationship with the late financier. 

While brief, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace issued a statement, saying, "I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims."

Since details of Andrew's links to the late convicted offender first came to light nearly a decade ago, royal observers have questioned why Prince William and Kate Middleton waited so long to respond. 

Although they had remained quiet publicly, the situation behind the scenes may tell a very different story. 

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Grant Harrold, who previously worked with Prince William as King Charles' personal butler, offered his perspective on why the couple chose to issue a statement now. 

He told Express, "I'm not surprised. While William has been distancing himself from this as much as he can, there have been moments that have made his feelings clear — like their frosty exchange at the Duchess of Kent's funeral."

"William will want absolutely nothing to do with his uncle, and Kate will be the same. They will want to be actively distancing themselves from Andrew and Sarah Ferguson," he continued. 

Grant added that the couple feels a responsibility to tackle the controversy head-on, rather than ignore it or let it fester. 

"The fact he's come out publicly says a lot. I think they know the seriousness of this. The late Queen's famous motto was of course 'never complain, never explain' — but William is very different. He wants to face these things full on. He doesn't want to mess around or just put his head in the sand."

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The royal's comments were issued just before Prince William set off on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, an important ally for the U.K. in the Middle East. 

Grant Harrold stressed the significance of the visit for the heir to the throne, explaining, "William's trip to Saudi Arabia is massive, it's a huge deal for the Royal Family and the country. William will want to make sure this doesn't overshadow the trip." 

He added, "He's speaking out because he doesn't want his uncle to overshadow this. I believe William is doing this to protect — and at this point potentially save — the Royal Family. That's why he has spoken out."