It was originally planned that Prince Edward and his wife Sophie would have an "unhappy" Christmas because of their disgraced brother Prince Andrew, but he changed his mind about what he wanted to happen.
Initially, it was intended for the pair to spend the holiday season at Sandringham with the Duke of York, much to their dismay on their part. Due to the fact that Prince Andrew had become involved in yet another incident, this time with a Chinese spy, their preparations for the holiday celebration took a positive turn, as far as they were concerned. This was because Prince Andrew opted not to attend the event.
The Sun said that Prince Edward and Sophie were "less than pleased" when they were originally informed of the intentions to be "cheek by jowl with the Yorks." This was stated before the plans were revealed. As an alternative, Prince Andrew will spend Christmas alone at Royal Lodge, with just his ex-wife Sarah as his companion. Meanwhile, the rest of the family will be having a wonderful time in Sandringham.
It was stated this week by a Royal expert that the Duke of York is likely to be "extremely upset" by the fact that he would not be attending the customary Christmas celebrations that take place at Sandringham with the rest of the Royal Family. In an interview with OK! Magazine, Jennie Bond, who had previously worked as a correspondent for the BBC Royal, stated that "Prince Andrew would have had to be living on another planet to be unaware of the furore surrounding his association with an alleged spy."
Along comes yet another humiliating dispute involving the Duke of York, just as the year is about to draw to a close on a high note for the Royal Family, with the King and Princess of Wales welcoming the public on Christmas Day. Prince Andrew is the King's brother, and the King is a kind person. If the king had been put in the position of having to either uninvite him or restrict him from attending what is going to be a large family gathering, he would have been really upset.
"It seems quite likely Prince Andrew sat down with Fergie, and possibly his daughters, to discuss the best solution. Thankfully, wise heads have prevailed and he obviously realised that his presence at Sandringham would be an embarrassing distraction on a day which this year of all years should be all about the King and Catherine," she added.
The choice made by Prince Andrew comes in the midst of allegations that he is linked to a Chinese spy. The link between the Duke of York and the successful businessman known as H6, who has been barred from entering the United Kingdom due to allegations of espionage, is now under investigation, according to The Mirror.
In a statement sent by his office, Prince Andrew stated that he "ceased all contact" with the accused businessman when concerns were initially made about him. Royals are said to be incensed when he became engaged in the latest affair, according to many reports.
According to the allegations, the businessman, who is fifty years old, is accused of using his connections with Prince Andrew to obtain invitations to high-profile events and royal homes. In addition to attending events at St. James's Palace and Windsor Palace, he reportedly paid a visit to Buckingham Palace on two separate occasions as the Duke of Buckingham's guest, as reported by The Sunday Times.
Business Times has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comments.
