'I watched Prince Andrew try to bond with William - his awkward reaction says it all'

Yesterday I stood outside Westminster Cathedral as Royal watchers gathered to watch the Windsors attend the funeral of the Duchess of Kent. Everyone was there to witness history - the first royal funeral ever held at Westminster Cathedral since it was built in 1903, and the first royal Catholic funeral in modern British history.

And royal fans were not disappointed, with the crowd even witnessing the awkward moment Prince Andrew tried to bond with his seemingly disinterested nephew Prince William.

At the start of the afternoon the streets were lined with royal-watchers, photographers, and press. At first, it was mostly lesser-known mourners stepping out of the cars, but as the 2pm service drew closer, you could feel the tension build. Police motorcyclists began clearing the way and we knew the senior royals were moments away.

Then it happened - the next arrival gave me actual chills. Myself and other members of the crowd leaned forward, curious to see who would step out next and to my shock, it was Prince Andrew - you could feel the air shift.

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It wasn’t just me, You could hear gasps throughout the crowd, everyone’s jaws dropped and some even exchanged looks of disbelief. Everyone around me seemed stunned that he was there, front and centre, at such a high-profile royal event.

It’s rare to see Prince Andrew publicly now, especially following the legal battle involving his accuser Virginia Giuffre, whose death was confirmed in April this year. His appearance at a public royal funeral of this scale was bound to startle everyone and it did.

It seemed clear he didn’t want to make eye contact with the crowd. Whether that was due to fear of public reaction, or just strict protocol I don’t know. But it felt like a deliberate attempt to avoid drawing even more attention.

As he moved to the other side of the vehicle, he briefly met his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, who was walking up the stairs. He stretched out his hand, almost like he was trying to assist her but she barely reacted. She glanced down and walked slightly ahead of him, without much acknowledgement.

The tension didn’t stop there. More cars arrived. Princess Anne appeared first, followed by Prince William and Princess Kate, who were met with a much warmer reception. Then came members of the Duchess of Kent’s immediate family.

Finally, the King arrived, just minutes before the service began. The doors swiftly shut behind him, and the street fell silent.

The service lasted just over an hour. When the heavy doors opened again, a lone piper walked out first, playing solemnly as the coffin emerged. The Royal Family followed behind in silence, and the piper’s music marked the end of the funeral.

While my attention was on every member of the Royal Family - the King, Prince William, and Princess Kate, who stood slightly behind him I couldn’t help but notice Prince Andrew. He truly stood out from the crowd.

It was hard to read the royals’ reactions as expected but one thing I picked up on was Prince William’s expressions as his uncle kept trying to speak to him. Prince Andrew seemed to be giggling while talking, but Prince William rubbed his nose and gave the slightest nod like he was trying to end the conversation quickly

And there was a clear difference in how Prince William communicated with everyone else. He was fully engaged when speaking to Fergie and Princess Kate. But when it came to Prince Andrew, it felt like he was barely tolerating it.

Andrew seemed eager to be involved and even tried to laugh with Fergie at the end. If anything, it felt like he was overcompensating trying to seem composed but it only made his presence stand out even more.

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