Prince Andrew has been seen for the first time since withdrawing from the Royal Family’s Christmas festivities amid a Chinese ‘spy’ drama. The Duke of York was photographed driving his Range Rover away from his home, the Royal Lodge in Windsor, on Wednesday.
Dressed in a navy shirt and maroon jumper, this marks his first public appearance since it was announced he won’t be joining the rest of the Royal Family for Christmas at Sandringham. Instead, he’ll be spending the holiday at the Royal Lodge with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Amidst another controversy, the Duke of York has also withdrawn from a pre-Christmas lunch taking place at Buckingham Palace today. This annual event, attended by over 70 members of the Royal Family, allows King Charles to extend his Christmas wishes before heading off to Sandringham for the remainder of the festive period.
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Andrew and his ex-wife were invited to the annual gathering but decided on Wednesday to stay home, reports the Express.
This decision follows another drama after the Prince’s relationship with an alleged spy for the Chinese state emerged. Following the controversy surrounding his association with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, the pair withdrew from public Christmas Day events.
Instead, the Duke will celebrate at his Royal Lodge home. This is a stark departure from previous years when, despite the public disgrace surrounding Prince Andrew’s association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, he still attended the wider family Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.
As a result, his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, will also forgo the traditional Christmas gathering, opting instead for a more intimate celebration at the Royal Lodge.