Christmas at Sandringham remains Andrew’s last bastion

The Duke of York has disappeared from public life since stepping down from official duties, but remains at the heart of the royal family’s Christmas Day appearance.

Last Christmas, Andrew walked from Sandringham to church with the other royals – symbolic of his gradual rehabilitation within the monarchy.

And after the service, the duke laughed and threw up his hands as he joked with well-wishes, and was joined by his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York – making a return to the royal fold after missing Sandringham for a number of decades.

But the latest controversy surrounding the duke, involving an alleged Chinese spy said to have become his “close” confidant, has brought his involvement with Christmas at Sandringham into doubt.

Andrew stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – and a few years later paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre, a woman he claimed never to have met.

The major development followed a few days after his disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019 when he said he “did not regret” his friendship with Epstein, who had trafficked Ms Giuffre, and was heavily criticised for failing to show sympathy with the sex offender’s victims.

The duke, reputedly Queen Elizabeth II favourite child, announced at the time he would be “stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future” and disappeared from a string of high-profile national events involving the monarchy.

Andrew’s status as a member of the royal family was left in tatters three years later when the Queen stripped him of his honorary military roles, remaining royal patronages and he gave up his HRH style in a dramatic fallout from his civil sex case.

The royal family’s influence on national life is as much about where and when they are seen as what they say, and the duke has been absent for more than four years from official events.

In past years, Andrew took part in the family gathering after Trooping the Colour, appearing on Buckingham Palace’s balcony with the other royals.

But he has not been seen at the national celebration for a number of years and has also not attended Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph, the annual Commonwealth Day service and the public elements of Garter Day at Windsor Castle.

The Garter event is one of the most colourful of the royal calendar when the royal family process through the grounds of the castle in lavish robes for the annual service celebrating the order, but Andrew takes part in events behind closed doors.

But it remains to be seen if the duke, once second in line to the throne, will make an appearance at the King’s private home of Sandringham in Norfolk for Christmas with his relatives.