King Charles III has taken a jibe at his brother and former Prince Andrew during Queen Elizabeth II's birthday tribute address, according to royal insiders.
‘Troubled Deeply’: King Charles Takes 'Unsubtle Dig' at Ex-Prince Andrew During Balmoral Address
King Charles III's tribute to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 100th birthday, seemingly included a jab at his brother and former royal, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, insiders told a news outlet.
In a recorded address from Balmoral, Charles paid tribute to Elizabeth, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 96.
He reflected on the legacy of the late monarch and the challenges that Britain is currently facing in the wake of several global conflicts.
"Much about the times we now live in, I suspect, may have troubled (Queen Elizabeth) deeply, but I take heart from her belief that goodness will always prevail and that a brighter dawn is never far from the horizon," Charles said.
He also quoted his mother's words from an early wartime broadcast, saying, "We can each play our part to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place."
Charles also added that Elizabeth's 100th birthday anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate a life well-lived, and a legacy of hope."
King Charles III honors his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on her 100th birth anniversary.
'Addressing the Elephant in the Room'
Insiders and aides believe that through his tribute to Elizabeth, Charles took indirect jabs at his disgraced brother and former Prince Andrew.
This comes as the royal family is under continued public scrutiny following Andrew's alleged past connections with the convicted child s*x offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
"The reference to troubled times wasn't just about wars or economic pressures – it also reflects ongoing issues closer to home, particularly the reputational damage caused by Andrew and the shadow of the Epstein scandal," one insider told Radar Online.
Another insider told the media outlet that although the king's address did not name any individuals explicitly, he signaled awareness of how these scandals may have impacted the monarchy's reputation.
"It was his way of addressing the elephant in the room, so to speak," the source said, adding, "He did not say much, but the royals never do. But make no mistake, this was him unleashing a very unsubtle dig at Andrew."
Andrew's Alleged Links to Jeffrey Epstein
The British monarchy faced heavy public scrutiny following various scandals surrounding Andrew.
The royal family had already distanced itself from the former Duke of York after the posthumous release of Nobody's Girl, a memoir by Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre, who had filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in 2021, accusing him of s*xual misconduct when she was a teenager.
The case was settled outside of court in 2022 without any admission of liability.
Charles stripped his brother of his royal status, duties and titles in 2025.
The recently released Epstein files by the Department of Justice (DOJ), however, have raised serious questions about the former royal's conduct.
Independent journalist Bethany O'Leary's X post about former Prince Andrew's February arrest.
In February, police arrested Andrew at his Wood Farm residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on suspicion of "misconduct in public office."
He has been accused of sharing sensitive and confidential government information with Epstein during the former's term as U.K.'s Special Representative for International Trade from 2001 to 2011.
He was later released after being kept in police custody for almost 11 hours. However, no charges were filed against him.
Following Andrew's arrest, Charles released a rare personal statement saying, "the law must take its course."