A lip reader has revealed what Prince William reportedly said to Princess Anne during a 'tense' conversation at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. According to Nicola Hickling of LipReader, William told his aunt: 'I've had enough of hearing his name, to be honest.' The prince also remarked: 'It's up for debate.'
The identity of the person referenced by William remains unclear, but the exchange occurred amid ongoing controversy surrounding Prince Andrew. The Duke of York was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and anti-monarchy protesters gathered outside the Abbey with banners referencing his connection to Jeffrey Epstein.
Hickling also claimed that King Charles told his sister Anne: 'It's not good out there… it's rather tense, isn't it? It's not good.' This may have been a reference to the noisy demonstration by the group Republic, which displayed banners asking 'What did you know?'
The Commonwealth Day service, held annually since 1972, celebrates the 54 member states and their 2.4 billion citizens. This year's theme was 'Unlocking opportunities together for a prosperous Commonwealth.' King Charles, as head of the Commonwealth, highlighted the institution's potential for trade and cooperation in his message.
Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, an ambassador for the Royal Commonwealth Society, addressed the congregation and later greeted the King with two kisses. The event comes amid calls from some Commonwealth leaders to remove Prince Andrew from the line of succession, a move that would require agreement from multiple nations and an Act of Parliament.
