The Duke of York is unlikely to ever appear in public with the Royal Family again, one insider reportedly fears.
According to Daily Express, Prince Andrew, who is 64 years old, would not be attending the annual Christmas meeting that the royal family has traditionally had at Sandringham this year. There is still a great deal of controversy about the Prince's connections to a suspected Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, who was officially shown to be fifty years old on Monday.
The ceremony that was supposed to be one of the most significant celebrations at his brother's, the King's private estate in Norfolk, will not take place since Prince Andrew will not be there.
On the other hand, a person with knowledge of the situation feels that the Duke of York may never again be seen in public with important members of The Firm. They said: "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."
The stinging critique comes at a time when Prince Andrew has already been removed from any official function or patronage due to his connections with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and allegations of sexual assault, which he has vehemently denied.
In January 2022, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "With the Queen's approval and agreement, the Duke of York's military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen."
The insider informed the Daily Mail that individuals in the United Kingdom can only expect to see Prince Andrew with the Royal Family during ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. This comes as the Duke has once again made news due to the revelation of his "close" relationship with Mr. Tengbo.
It was planned for him to accompany his family on the customary walk to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day, which is the day when millions of people see pictures and videos of The Firm in the media. However, he will not be there for this event.
In what will be interpreted as a demonstration of sympathy for her ex-husband, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also be absent from the Christmas celebrations in Sandringham. It has been reported that the two individuals are getting ready to spend the day together at Royal Lodge, which is the residence that they continue to share in Windsor Great Park, Berkshire.
Business Times has reached out to Prince Andrew's team for comments.
