Prince Andrew broke cover after his Christmas Day snub as he was spotted leaving the grounds of his Royal Lodge home on Boxing Day. Images showed a rather glum-looking Duke of York behind the wheel of his car after he spent a lonely festive season at the mansion with no-one but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for company.
He was heading in the direction of Windsor, according to reports. The image was in stark contrast to the beaming smiles of other royals captured at Sandringham on Christmas Day.
Among them was Andrew and Sarah’s daughter Princess Beatrice who snubbed the chance to spend December 25 with her parents despite scrapping her own plans to visit her in-laws in Italy. Andrew was persuaded by Sarah not to travel to Norfolk after he became embroiled in another scandal, this time surrounding his friendship with an alleged Chinese spy.
The King breathed a sigh of relief when the pair decided not to attend. It comes as royal experts claimed Charles made his feelings toward both his brother and estranged son Prince Harry clear in his Christmas Day address to the nation.
READ MORE: ‘Royal wedding in 2025’ as Sandringham gatecrasher follows in Meghan Markle’s footsteps
READ MORE: Princess Beatrice given ‘subtle reminder’ of place in royal hierarchy amid Prince Andrew controversy
Pre-recorded at the Fitzrovia Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London, Charles spoke of his pride at how the British people responded to riots in the wake of he sickening Southport murders and praised health staff who have treated both him and Princess Kate for cancer. The broadcast included clips of many senior royals but Andrew and Harry were both conspicuous by their absence.
Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi opted for Sandringham over Royal Lodge this Christmas
(Image: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
Royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop believes the omission was a deliberate move by Charles. She told The Mirror: “Lest we are in any doubt, the clever film that accompanied this speech, underscored the importance of the King’s royal A-Team, on hand to deliver what Charles considers to be an alternative to global killing: a listening and understanding mission that leads to actions for the good of all.
“As well as a replay of the King’s famous hug with the New Zealand women’s rugby team, there was footage of Kate at Trooping the Colour, Camilla in Scotland and Australia, William serving food to the homeless and, of course, those royal stalwarts, Princess Anne and the Edinburghs.
“Crucially, also-rans Princes Andrew and Harry were nowhere to be seen. The King has clearly made up his mind about how to ‘act for the good of all’, choosing to focus on family strengths, not weaknesses, to shore up a nation (and a world) for a difficult year ahead.”
For more news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter but never miss the latest top headlines and sign up to our daily newsletter here.