Prince Andrew made a surprise return to the royal fold when he attended the traditional Easter church service – despite his “incredibly strained” relations with his relatives. The Duke of York grinned as he hastily walked into church at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, for the service on Sunday alongside the King and Queen.
Other members of the family were also present – but noticeably absent were the Prince and Princess of Wales, who instead opted to spend time in Norfolk with their three children. However, William is also understood to be reluctant to spend time with his uncle Andrew at any family gathering, after the Duke heaped shame on himself and the institution, leading to his banishment from public life.
Royal expert Jennie Bond believes the reason for William’s “tough stand” when it comes to his uncle is all about the future. The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror : “I think William is harder about this and perhaps more willing to take a tough stand against his uncle.
“I think his reason is that he is determined to protect the monarchy and show that they do all understand the strength of public animosity towards Andrew.
“William is increasingly a power player in the family dynamics, and while Charles can perhaps show a softer attitude, I don’t think William will ever countenance a return to any form of public role for Prince Andrew.”
Andrew had not been pictured at a formal royal family event since last Easter. He was forced to miss the traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham amid controversy surrounding his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
The Duke actually resigned from his public roles in May 2020 in light of his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages were removed by the Queen in January 2022
But Jennie believes the reason Andrew keeps attending certain events is because he remains a part of the family – even if he’s not a working royal. She explained: “The King, and the Palace, are not stupid. They know perfectly well that whenever Andrew appears in public there’s going to be a whole heap of criticism. But, like it or not, Andrew remains part of the family.
“And I simply don’t think that Charles has it in his heart to banish his brother from every family get-together – even when it does seem rather more like a public event, as at Easter.
“Perhaps, if Andrew was a little more sensitive, he would choose to stay away from events when he knows the cameras and crowds are going to be there.
“He must be aware that it’s going to result in highly critical headlines and a forensic analysis of his every move, gesture, or smile. It’s just another embarrassment for the monarchy.”
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