Normal subgroups of a compact group with irreducible adjoint action

Let $G$ be connected and compact with nonzero irreducible real Adjoint representation. Its Lie algebra has no proper invariant Lie algebra ideal. If it is Abelian, irreducibility forces dimension one, so $G$ is the circle group. Otherwise its centre has zero-dimensional Lie algebra and is finite. A proper closed normal subgroup likewise has zero-dimensional Lie algebra, hence is finite; connectedness of $G$ makes conjugation on that finite subgroup trivial, so the subgroup is central. A Lie group homomorphism onto a nontrivial connected target with surjective differential consequently has finite central group kernel. The qualifications “proper” and “nontrivial” are essential.