The Queen's favourite son is said to be Prince Andrew, despite Prince Charles being heir to the throne.
- Royal experts claim the Queen's favouritism has previously caused a "rift" within the family
- Prince Andrew is said to be the "golden boy" who can "do no wrong" in new Channel 5 documentary, The Royal Family At War
- It follows royal news that the prospect of Prince George becoming King is "rapidly fading"
It's common in most families for parents to have a favourite child, but it's safe to say we didn't expect it from the royal family.
While Her Majesty tends to shy away from press attention and opening up about her private life, a new Channel 5 documentary, The Royal Family At War, has explored suggestions that the Queen has always favoured Prince Andrew, despite having two other sons - Prince Charles and Prince Edward.
In the documentary, experts suggest the Queen felt pressure to raise Prince Charles to be the future King. Whereas with Prince Andrew - her second born, she could be more hands on.
Royal expert, Katie Nicholl, revealed, "There is real tension between Charles and Andrew. Andrew has a very different relationship with his mother and the Queen was much more hands on."
Born 11 years after Prince Charles, when he was at boarding school, there are claims Prince Andrew who is still a prince could do "no wrong" in the Queen's eyes.
According to Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, "Andrew has always been the Queen's favourite son and he has never done anything wrong in her eyes."
Despite both Prince Charles and Prince Andrew both joining the Navy, Prince Andrew's stint in the Falklands garnered far more attention than his brother's.
"He came back a hero and was very much the golden boy of the royal family," Katie Nicholl explained.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s47fsZBpaJg
Tensions reportedly reached boiling point in 2012 when only six members of the family appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry joined the Queen, but Prince Andrew was absent. Something he is said to have "found hard to accept".
Amid speculation that this life-long 'favouritism' had led to a rift between the brothers, Prince Andrew released a statement - a move spectacularly out of the ordinary for the royal family.
In it, he said, "There is no truth to the story that there could be a split between the Prince of Wales and I. Any continued speculation is pointless."
