Prince Andrew 'should opt out of royal Christmas events to spare the King's blushes'
By Victoria Ward
Prince Andrew "should do the decent thing" and opt not to join the Royal family at Christmas events to save the King's blushes, royal insiders believe.
The Duke of York's relationship with an alleged Chinese spy has plunged Buckingham Palace into yet another scandal, amid allegations that he was targeted and courted over a number of years.
A security review is under way after the alleged agent, identified only as H6, was invited to Buckingham Palace twice and also to Windsor Castle and St James's Palace.
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Insiders believe Prince Andrew, pictured here at Sandringham on Christmas Day 2022, should opt not to attend this year amid the Chinese 'spy' scandal. AP
Andrew is seen as a 'thorn in Charles' side'. Peter Nicholls - WPA Pool /Getty
While it is accepted that the apparent infiltration of the British royal family may not have been of the Duke's making, it has put him at the centre of another PR crisis that has caused further problems for the royal brand.
As such, senior aides are hoping the Duke sees fit to withdraw from the two high-profile royal events due to take place over the next fortnight.
The unfortunate timing of the scandal poses a "conundrum" for the King, who had expected to be joined by the Duke and the wider British royal family at this week's private Christmas lunch, as well as at the traditional church service at Sandringham on Christmas Day.
The monarch, who has recently withdrawn all private funding from his younger brother, will be loath to sanction him further, recognising that there "will always be a bond of blood".
Yet such a move, despite being "really hard" for the King, remains a possibility, The Telegraph understands. It would be a bitter pill for the embattled Duke to swallow.
There are fervent hopes behind the scenes that such action will not be necessary if the Duke acts on his conscience to prevent heaping further embarrassment on the King.
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Since his accession in 2022, Charles has allowed Andrew to join the family on the traditional stroll from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene church on Christmas Day. However, he was banned from taking part in 2019, weeks after his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview prompted him to step back from public duties.
It emerged on Thursday (Friday in Australia) that the alleged spy, described as a "close confidant" of the Duke in court documents, had been banned from the UK on national security grounds. The revelation was followed by calls for Prince Andrew to be punished by losing his membership of the Order of the Garter.
George Foulkes, the Labour peer, said he did not believe his behaviour was compatible with membership of the ancient order of chivalry. However, the idea was dismissed by royal sources, who noted that the only people ever removed from the order had been found guilty of heresy or treason.
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The Duke has already been removed from all public aspects of the annual procession and service.
However, the court case has again raised serious questions about how the Duke funds a lavish lifestyle that includes the upkeep of his palatial 30-room home, Royal Lodge at Windsor, which is in need of extensive repairs.
The maintenance costs, as well as his private security bill, are thought to add up to millions of pounds a year.
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For months, the King has been urging his younger brother to move into Frogmore Cottage, the smaller property on the Windsor estate vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Telegraph revealed in January that the monarch was prepared to withdraw the private funding he ploughed into the security operation in what had become an increasingly bitter standoff. At the time, the Duke did not believe that his elder brother would do so.
The King acted on his threat, removing all private financial support from his brother and forcing him to find his own private source of income. But the Duke has called his bluff, assuring Buckingham Palace that he has the funds to stay put.
Royal sources admit they have no way of scrutinising the source of the monies and can only seek assurances that the Duke's money is "legitimately earned". They fear the latest scandal only serves to underline the vulnerable financial situation in which the Duke finds himself.
A potential move to Frogmore Cottage remains on the table. As well as bringing the Duke into the security cordon around Windsor Castle, it would remove the huge financial burden that a property such as Royal Lodge commands.
© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2024
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