Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson expected to break cover at royal event this week

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are expected to break cover later this week as they attend the christening of their granddaughter.

The former couple has not been seen in public, together, since September 16 when they gathered with the royal family in central London.

The baptism will also mark their first major event since King Charles formally removed their royal titles, including Duke and Duchess of York, because of their past association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Princess Beatrice, 37, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi will have their daughter, Athena, christened on Friday.

The service will be held inside the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, in London, just metres from Buckingham Palace.

Athena was born in January several weeks ahead of schedule and there are some reports her baptism has been delayed because of the scandal ingulfing her grandparents.

Recently, Princess Beatrice spoke on a podcast about the premature birth of her daughter, describing the experience as "incredibly lonely" for mothers.

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She and her sister Princess Eugenie, 35, have kept a low profile in recent months after their parents were stripped of their royal titles by the King.

They were absent from the Princess of Wales' Together at Christmas concert last week at Westminster Abbey, despite having been regulars at the event in the past.

Instead, Princess Eugenie shared a public apology on her Instagram saying: "Wish Bea and I could have been celebrating tonight with our family". It's understood the sisters had other commitments.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, nor the King and Queen Camilla, are expected to be at the the baptism later this week.

But other members of the royal family are due to attend as guests of Princess Beatrice and Mozzi.

However, some are said to be apprehensive that Andrew and Ferguson will be among them.

"It's going to be a royal occasion, but everyone is dreading the thought of seeing Andrew there," a source told the Daily Mail.

The event will be private, however, it will be the first time Andrew and Ferguson have mingled with the wider royals since the loss of their titles.

Last week, it was revealed Andrew would be able to remain at Royal Lodge until October next year under the terms of his lease.

The 65-year-old has agreed to leave the 31-bedroom property on the Windsor estate but can remain for a further 12 months, if he chooses.

However, he is expected to vacate property by February. But Andrew will miss out on receiving nearly $1 million in compensation for handing back his lease on the home early, owing to the amount of repairs needed on the heritage-listed building.

As for Ferguson, her spokesperson has shut down rumours she was looking at moving into a renovated granny flat on her daughter's property.

The former Duchess of York had been living with Andrew for nearly two decades, despite their separation in 1992 and divorce in 1996.

The King's younger brother is to relocate to a property on the Sandringham estate, in Norfolk, but it's unknown where Ferguson will end up.

She is said to be focused on finding somewhere to live in Windsor, a source told People.

Recent rumours that Ferguson was planning on moving into a converted farmhouse on Princess Beatrice's Cotswolds estate have now been denied.

Locals had told UK media the former cowshed had recently been refurbished into a granny flat, fuelling the speculation.

There were also suggestions Ferguson could move in with her youngest daughter at her home in Portugal.

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