There’s been a lot of gossip about Prince Charles as of late, partly because an “unauthorized” (not really) biography has just come out about him and partly because Charles’ press office seems to be in overdrive for some reason. Perhaps Charles is worried that his younger brother Andrew, the Duke of York, has stolen too much attention with his seedy, gross and (if true) illegal sex scandal – go here to read some of what Andrew is facing these days. According to a new report from the Daily Mail’s Katie Nicholl (hmm…), Charles and Andrew’s relationship has never been this strained. The whole piece reads like the most epic Boy Drama ever, probably because it’s boy drama, brother drama AND royal drama all at once. Some highlights:

No B-Day Invites: Charles didn’t invite Andrew to his 66th birthday party, even though the party was held at Buckingham Palace and Andrew was in his suite of rooms in BP just yards away.

Andrew feels cut off: Numerous sources close to the Duke have told The Mail on Sunday that he has been ‘cut off’ by Charles who has ‘left Andrew out in the cold’ during his darkest hours. The ‘shutters came down’ according to one source close to a senior member of the Royal Family when Prince Andrew was named in US court papers by Virginia Roberts… it is said that the Prince of Wales has so far refused to discuss the scandal with his brother.

Charles never writes: Charles is historically “a great memo and letter writer to his family, particularly when it comes to matters of importance” but he hasn’t written to Andrew in months.

Andrew is embarrassing: A family friend says: ‘The froideur is worse than ever. Charles considers the whole sex scandal degrading, damaging and very embarrassing. He thinks that his brother has made some very bad decisions but he has said nothing to Andrew, he simply hasn’t communicated with him at all. There’s been a very icy silence.’

Charles doesn’t even want to hear Andrew’s name: ‘I was told never to mention Andrew’s name in the Prince of Wales’s company,’ the source revealed. ‘This is no brotherly spat. It is a seismic shift downhill in Charles’s relationship with his errant brother which seems terminal. Andrew is having to live with the harsh reality that Charles has cut him off and left him out in the cold.’

Charles is worried about money & Fergie: While other family members are publicly supporting Andrew, Charles will not: ‘He does not want to become involved in any way. He is very angry that his brother has put the family in this very difficult and embarrassing situation. Charles has very serious concerns about Andrew. He can see legal fees going through the roof, there’s a serious risk of Andrew becoming involved in a court case, and unanswered questions about his friendship with Epstein and this girl. Then there’s the fact that Andrew is still living with his ex-wife and has just bought a very expensive ski chalet with her. Charles thinks Andrew is making a fool of himself where Sarah is concerned.’

Charles is pissed that Andrew has always been the Queen’s favorite: ‘Charles knows the Queen will always be a staunch defender of her second son almost to the point of lacking objectivity and reason… which has irritated him beyond measure over the years.’

[From The Daily Mail]

There’s more in there about Andrew “leaning on” his younger brother Edward and how Charles and Andrew’s relationship has been contentious, on and off, for years. Andrew is pissed that Charles took away the York princesses’ security, and Andrew is pissed that Charles keeps pushing Andrew away from balcony appearances. You get the idea. I’m an only child, so I don’t understand a lot about sibling rivalries, but some of this just sounds like typical sibling drama, only everything is EXTRA because we’re actually talking about the future King of England and his younger brother. And you know what? Charles isn’t even wrong about half this stuff.

Oh, and it’s true that Andrew is the Queen’s favorite. Phillip’s favorite is Anne. Charles was only the Queen Mum’s favorite.

Photos courtesy of WENN.