Lip Reader Exposes Andrew's Emotional Plea to William at Funeral
A forensic lip reader has revealed that Prince Andrew made a desperate plea for forgiveness from Prince William during a tense conversation at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last September. The extraordinary exchange was captured in a new Channel 5 documentary series titled Lip-Reading The Royals: What Are They Really Saying?, which analyses recent royal moments through expert lip reading techniques.
The Funeral Exchange
The sad gathering at Westminster Cathedral brought together all senior royals, including Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, to pay tribute to the wife of his late mother's cousin. Following the service, Andrew had a famously tense meeting with the Prince and Princess of Wales on the church steps as they awaited their cars.
Forensic lip reader Nicola Hickling has now disclosed that the former Duke of York used this moment to implore his nephew for forgiveness. According to Hickling's analysis, Andrew asked William, who was accompanied by his wife Kate: 'I've learnt from what I've done but before I forget, and if I can, I'd like to ask you if you can forgive?'
This emotional plea came amidst ongoing controversy surrounding Andrew's friendship with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, which ultimately led to him being stripped of his titles and removed from his Royal Lodge home just one month later.
The Conversation Unfolds
The exchange began with Andrew greeting the couple: 'Good afternoon, William and Catherine, how are you?' Kate replied, 'Good, thank you', while William appeared visibly uneasy before asking Andrew, 'What can I do for you?'
Andrew responded, 'We're really closed in together', to which William gave a simple 'Yes'. After Andrew delivered his forgiveness plea and received no reply before departing, Kate remarked, 'He seemed very sorry'. William then questioned, 'Do you think I deserved that? Is that what you mean?', prompting Kate to repeat, 'He seemed very sorry'.
Broader Royal Revelations
The documentary also provided insights into conversations between Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, following their father's title removal. In a Mayfair street conversation, Beatrice reportedly said, 'We will ride the storm', before adding, 'I'm feeling angry but we must not add to it. You are going to need to be out of the country. He isn't going to play by the rules and we need to be out of the way, Eugenie.'
This revelation follows reports that the sisters have been excluded from Royal Ascot this year due to concerns about the unfolding Epstein scandal, with sources indicating they would not occupy seats in the Royal Box or join the Royal Procession.
Other Royal Moments Analysed
The series examined multiple royal interactions, including President Donald Trump's state visit last September. According to lip readers, Trump told Kate upon exiting his plane, 'You are so beautiful... so beautiful', prompting William to quickly change the subject. William then told the president, 'You know, I've always wanted to see inside Air Force One', to which Trump responded, 'You can, let's arrange it'.
Coronation Insights
Experts also analysed King Charles's coronation, revealing human moments amidst the grandeur. As Charles entered the carriage following the ceremony, he reportedly sighed and muttered, 'f*** me', to which Camilla quickly responded, 'frankly, I don't want to hear that'. Body language expert Adrianne Carter noted this showed 'the royals being as human as you and I'.
Forensic lip reader Khalil Anwar detailed how Charles expressed fear about his crown toppling on the balcony, telling Camilla, 'I'm not going to get too close, I don't want my crown to topple over. Imagine that. I'm terrified of it falling off my head.' Camilla reportedly rushed pageboys, saying, 'Quickly quickly, I don't want it to drop down there. Move it, move it.'
Before the ceremony, Charles allegedly asked Archbishop Justin Welby, 'What if something goes wrong? That's the moment I find bothersome. I hope I don't get anything wrong', to which the Archbishop replied, 'Of course', prompting Charles to reiterate, 'I bloody hope so'.
Family Moments
In heart-warming family scenes, William reportedly told his children in their carriage, 'Ok wave now, wave to everyone. We're on TV so be on your best behaviour. Everyone seems to be having a jolly time celebrating with us.'
The coronation on May 6, 2023, saw thousands brave rainy weather to watch the procession in the Gold State Coach, followed by weekend celebrations including a Windsor pop concert where Prince George and Princess Charlotte danced. Buckingham Palace finally dropped 'Consort' from Camilla's title, with St Edward's Crown lowered onto Charles's head and Camilla crowned with Queen Mary's Crown.
