Prince Andrew, Duke of York leaves after attending for the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in eastern England, on Dec. 25, 2023.Photo:ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty
The royal Christmas celebrations at Sandringham just got a bit smaller.
PEOPLE understands that Andrew, 64, and Fergie, 65, will stay away, most likely spending the festive day at Royal Lodge, the home they live in on the Windsor Castle estate.The Daily Mailwas the first to report the story.
The move came just hours after reports emerged that questioned whether Andrew would join the royals for Christmas morning church and then lunch at Sandringham House amid reports of hisalleged connections to a suspected Chinese spy.
Andrew, his ex-wife Fergie (as she is popularly known) and their daughters had been widely expected to join the family and stay at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate for the Christmas holiday, as they did last year — but Andrew wasunder pressure to stay awayand out of the spotlight at such a prominent time for the royal family because of the recent scandal.
Prince Andrew and King Charles during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022 in London, England.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty
Patrick van Katwijk/Getty
PEOPLE understands the princesses had invitations spend Christmas with their respective in-laws some time ago and have decided to do so. Their attendance at Sandringham had been in question, one insider says.
By staying away, Prince Andrew has taken the issue out of older brother King Charles' hands.
What isn’t known is if Prince Andrew will go to the family’s other major Christmas party, held for the wider family on Thursday, Dec. 19. King Charles was in a tricky situation as he has shown support for his younger brother Andrew in recent years, inviting him and Fergie to join in the public side of the Christmas festivities in 2023. But, mindful of political and public pressure around Andrew’s ties to the alleged Chinese spy, pressure is rising for action to be taken, and Charles would not want to be forced to ban Andrew from attending.
Buckingham Palace had no comment.
The furor over Andrew’s links with the Chinese businessman is the latest controversy to engulf him and thrust him back onto the front pages of U.K. newspapers. Andrew was forced to stepback from public dutiesfollowing hisbombshell interview with the BBCabout his ties to convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein, which aired in November 2019, just over five years ago.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York (L) and Sarah, Duchess of York (R) arrive for the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England, on Dec. 25, 2023.ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and announced his step back from royal duties a few days after the explosive interview aired. The royal said he continued to “unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein” in theofficial statementannouncing his decision.
The transition was made official when the lateQueen Elizabethstripped Andrew of his military titles and patronagesin January 2022 amid Giuffre’scivil sexual assault lawsuit. An out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sumwas reachedthe following month.
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source: people.com
