Reports suggest that Prince William’s discomfort with standing next to Prince Andrew might have prompted him to discreetly tell his uncle to stop laughing during the Duchess of Kent’s funeral.

The Prince of Wales was seen shielding his mouth as he spoke subtly to the Duke of York, resulting in Andrew quickly ceasing his smile directed at his nephew.

According to a source, William seemed to caution Andrew that his laughter in such a serious setting was inappropriate. To ensure privacy of the message, he cleverly masked his words from everyone except Andrew.

In this unusual interaction, William appears visibly uneasy, seemingly curtailing any conversation with Andrew, who then appears flustered and nervous.

A royal insider shared with the Mail that William intentionally covered his mouth to keep his remarks private, aware of the cameras focused on them and feeling the unease.

The insider continued, mentioning William’s awareness of media implications, noting he likely realized the negative appearance of Andrew’s conduct and was also keen to avoid being seen engaging with his uncle.

It came after a royal source told the Mail that William views the Duke and Duchess of York as a ‘pair of chancers’ and is urging his father to cut them both loose because of the Epstein scandal. But the King is less keen because he values their loyalty.

The Prince of Wales covered his mouth and appeared to say something to Andrew, which stopped him laughing 

Spot the difference: Moments earlier Andrew was smiling but William looked serious and appeared aware of the optics

Prince Andrew was seen grinning after the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral in London 

The Duke of York appeared to be visibly shunned by the Royal Family as they gathered on the steps of Westminster Cathedral after the Requiem Mass service on Tuesday, September 16.

Andrew could be seen trying to jovially engage with his nephew in conversation, shortly after the Duchess of Kent’s coffin was carried into the state hearse. 

He appears to reminisce with the Prince of Wales about a previous time they spent together, telling him ‘we had a lovely time didn’t we then,’ according to a lip reader. 

But William makes no reply, simply glancing at his uncle before studiously looking forward, thin-lipped, rubbing his nose and rocking on his heels.

After a quick smirk and an awkward pause, the Duke attempts to continue the conversation. ‘And spending time with us,’ he adds, to which Wiliam does not respond, instead simply nodding his head in silence. 

The seemingly icy encounter came amid ongoing revelations linked to the Duke’s relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, six years after the scandal saw Andrew stand down from public duties.

Historian Andrew Lownie’s forensic biography of Andrew, called Entitled, also caused shockwaves within the Royal Family – with some passages having to be removed for legal reasons, which the author said were enough to bring down the monarchy.

At one point Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York leant forwards to speak to William, who turned briefly to talk to her, as did his wife Kate.

But it was clear the couple were far from keen to prolong the conversation, aside from pleasantries.

Indeed, for much of the time, the heir to the throne, jaw clenched, appeared decidedly uncomfortable.

Charles and William are said to have differing views on how to handle Prince Andrew and his ex-wife with the Prince of Wales likely to be ‘urging’ his father to take the chance to cut them loose 

The Waleses made a notably quick exit after the King had got into the State Bentley, but not before His Majesty appeared to offer a few warm words to his daughter-in-law, who smiled and walked over, before kissing him on each cheek and curtsying.

As the King drove off, the Duchess of York was seen waving somewhat over-enthusiastically at his car, before also dropping a neat bob.

Prince Andrew, meanwhile, exchanged some words with his sister, Princess Anne, thanked staff and headed off towards his car.

According to the lip reader, the Princess Royal told her brother, ‘Let’s walk this way’. 

Andrew later turned to Anne and said, ‘Shall [we] go that way and we can leave there?’ He later questioned, ‘Where is she? Oh, over there, is she coming?’

Elsewhere, he thanked the priests and later turned to a different attendee before questioning whether they had been introduced before, Press said.

He was forced to wait at the side of the building, fiddling with the tails of his morning coat, as his ex-wife continued to chat merrily on the steps.

A body language expert has also claimed Prince Andrew and Prince William had a ‘very frosty’ exchange after the Duchess of Kent’s funeral.

Body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail that Prince William’s ‘non-verbal responses’ suggest a degree of ‘awkwardness’ between the pair. 

She also described the expression on Prince Andrew’s face as he tried to chat to his nephew as a ‘smug-looking smile’. 

The Duke was given a prominent seat in the front row as he joined other members of the Royal Family for the private memorial for the wife of the late Queen’s cousin. 

Katharine, the wife of the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on the evening of September 4 aged 92.