The King has indicated that Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will not be included in the royal family’s traditional Christmas festivities. Sources close to King Charles revealed his desire to maintain distance from them due to recent revelations that the duchess maintained contact with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile, despite denouncing him publicly in 2011.
According to insiders, the King and Prince of Wales support the decision to keep the Duke and Duchess of York at a distance to mitigate long-term reputational risks to the royal family. King Charles has expressed a preference for the couple to adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” approach at future family gatherings they attend.
Earlier this month, eyebrows were raised when Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, appeared at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral alongside the rest of the royal family at Westminster Cathedral. Following the service, Prince Andrew attempted to engage in a light-hearted conversation with the Prince of Wales, who chose to ignore him.
Prince Andrew did not attend last Christmas after his connections to an alleged Chinese spy came to light. Despite hopes for reconciliation following the King’s renewed relationship with his younger son, Prince Andrew’s past actions have strained his standing within the monarchy.
The Duchess of York’s recent communication with Jeffrey Epstein, where she referred to him as a “supreme friend” and apologized for publicly criticizing him, has further cast a shadow over the royal family. Despite previous statements condemning Epstein, the duchess’s email revealed a different sentiment, causing embarrassment and disappointment among royal circles.
In a 2011 interview, Sarah, Duchess of York, admitted to a “terrible error of judgment” in associating with Epstein and denounced pedophilia. However, her subsequent email to Epstein expressing remorse for her public statements contradicted her earlier stance.
Allegations made by the late Virginia Giuffre linking Prince Andrew to Epstein’s activities have been adamantly denied by the Prince. The ongoing controversies surrounding Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York have led to the King’s decision to limit their involvement in future royal events.