The King has signalled that Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, will not be welcome at the royal family’s traditional Christmas celebrations
The King has made it clear that Prince Andrew and his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York, will be unwelcome at the Royal family’s customary Christmas festivities.
Insiders close to King Charles revealed he wishes to maintain distance from the pair following fresh revelations that the duchess continued correspondence with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after publicly condemning him in 2011.
The source informed the Sunday Times: “You can’t sack someone from being your brother. But this year, if the duke and duchess were both to be as honourable [as last year], it would be very much for the best.”
The Prince of Wales is backing this decision, reportedly exasperated and worried about the Yorks’ conduct creating lasting damage to the Royal Family’s reputation.
The King has additionally indicated his preference for the pair to adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” strategy for any upcoming family gatherings the Yorks might attend, reports the Mirror.
Eyebrows were raised earlier this month when the duo made a conspicuous arrival alongside other royals at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
Following the ceremony, Andrew was captured attempting cheerful banter with the Prince of Wales, who completely blanked his uncle.
The King has further expressed his desire for the former couple, who split in 1996, to remain “invisible” at forthcoming family events by using discrete entrances for arrivals and departures wherever feasible.
Prince Andrew was absent from last year’s Christmas celebrations following the emergence of his connections to an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo.
After witnessing the King’s recent reconciliation with his younger son, Prince Andrew may have hoped for a similar spirit of forgiveness.
However, it seems that Prince Charles’s patience with the Duke of York and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, whose past actions continue to cast a shadow over the monarchy, has reached its limit.
Friends of the duchess stated yesterday that she was “devastated for any embarrassment” caused and would “explain herself to the wider royal family in due course”.
Last week, it came to light that the duchess had sent an email to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted paedophile, referring to him as a “supreme friend” and apologising for having publicly criticised him.
In a March 2011 interview, Sarah admitted to making a “terrible, terrible error of judgment” by accepting £15,000 from Epstein, stating: “I abhor paedophilia.”
However, it was revealed last weekend that she had subsequently emailed Epstein, apologising for her public criticism and referring to him as her “steadfast, generous and supreme friend”.
The duchess wrote: “As you know I did not, absolutely not, say the P [paedophile] word about you … I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that.”
Virginia Giuffre, now deceased, claimed she was coerced into having sex with Prince Andrew at Epstein’s behest. The Prince has consistently and emphatically denied these allegations.
