War of the Windsors

The Inside Story of Charles, Andrew and the Rivalry That Has Defined the Royal Family

By: Nigel Cawthorne

Narrated by: Samuel Hill

Telling the story of their lives from children to modern day, this fascinating and revelatory new book will look at the fraught relationship (and fiery rivalry) between King Charles and Prince Andrew.

Raised for vastly different futures, one burdened with the responsibility of becoming the future king and the other destined to live in his shadow, Charles and Andrew have spent their lives on different sides of the same coin.

War of the Windsors tells, for the first time, the complete story of Charles and Andrew from their diverging childhoods to their current struggles. It looks at the distinct but overlapping stories of the two heirs, from being separated in their early years and the Queen's supposed overindulgence of Andrew to the competition for Lady Diana and finally, Charles' ascension to throne while his brother is stripped of Royal duties. And it explores whether, with the scandals around Andrew still fresh in public memory, Charles will ever let his brother back into the family.

With extensive research and expert sourcing, War of the Windsors is the incredible inside story of a family in turmoil. Recounting the highs and lows of a brotherhood then turned into a rivalry, royal author and journalist Nigel Cawthorne looks at the makings of a decades long feud and questions whether, ultimately, the brothers will one day band together again.

Jealous Andrew

I liked how the author explained the differences between Andrew and Charles and how Andrew is so jealous

A bit of new info. But mostly old news

Too little new information. It was mostly rehashed stuff. They never did get along and both come off as spoilt brats

Inside Scoop on Charles & Andrew Rivalry

This is a look at the lives and rivalry between the two brothers of the British royal family. Charles didn't receive the love and attention Andrew did when growing up. Andrew had always been the Queen's favorite and it was undoubtedly difficult for her to deal with the mess he got himself into the last few years. This book covers their upbringing, marriages and divorces and their current lives. Lots of behind the scenes dish is included. Transcripts of Squishy gate and Camilla gate are included. Those are painful renderings of the call tapes that caused scandals. A number of stories about Charles' charities is covered as well as the Maxwell debacle that ensnared Andrew. Learned a few things I didn't know. Narration is excellent and listening to this made time fly by.

TIMELY - OCTOBER 2025

Listening to Audible as Andrew is foremost in the news, amid his probable ouster from Royal Lodge, in disgrace. Andrew and (imo) Charles have put survival of the monarchy in question. William, Catherine and the British People have been ill served by Charles and Andrew. Andrew Lownie's brilliant book about the Yorks has dominoes falling, accelerated with Virginia Giuffre's posthumas memoir, published a few months after her untimely and tragic death. Charles and Andrew throw their indecent shadows over Elizabeth II 's glorious reign. THE WAR OF THE WINDSORS gives us invaluable insights into current pressures besetting the monarchy.

Wait For It …

The first 2/3s of this book offered few, if any, surprises. It’s a retelling of the childhoods and manhoods of Prince Andrew and King Charles III.

The last 1/3, however, is a gradually escalating critique of both subjects that just gets more astonishing as it develops. The author has carefully researched his quarry and he’s not letting either royal off the hook. We’ve had nearly a year of the cleansing of King Charles after the death of QE2. This book does not spare him.

A pretty good blast, and a good read as well.