An insider has reportedly expressed fears that the Duke of York may never be seen in public with the Royal Family again.
It comes as Prince Andrew, 64, is set to miss the traditional royal Christmas gathering at Sandringham this year amidst ongoing controversy surrounding his links to alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, 50.
The duke will not be attending what was anticipated to be one of the largest festive events at his brother, the King’s, private Norfolk estate. An inside source voiced their doubts about Andrew’s future public appearances with the Royal Family, reports the Mirror.
They stated: “I find it hard to imagine he will ever join them again in public, if I’m honest. There’s only so many times the duke can be asked to keep his head down and wait for the storm to pass. Enough is enough.”
This harsh critique follows Andrew being stripped of all public roles and patronages due to his connections with disgraced paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his strongly denied allegations of sexual assault.
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In January 2022, Buckingham Palace announced: “With the Queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.”
The Duke of York has once again grabbed the headlines as his “close” ties with Mr Tengbo have come to light, a source informed the Daily Mail. The British public should brace themselves to see Prince Andrew only at key family events such as weddings and funerals.
Initially expected to join the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day church walk in Sandringham – a moment widely captured by the media – he will now be notably absent.
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In what appears to be a gesture of support for her ex-husband, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also skip the Sandringham festivities. The couple is reportedly planning to spend the day together at their shared residence, Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, Berkshire.
It remains uncertain whether the Duke will be present at King Charles’s customary pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
Reports emerged on Monday suggesting that Andrew had been advised to “uninvite himself” from the event to prevent any further embarrassment for the Royal Family amidst the ongoing Chinese “spy” controversy.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, both mothers to young children, had already decided to celebrate this year’s Christmas with their in-laws for the first time, according to sources.
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