Prince Andrew is expected to spend Christmas away from the Royal Family, a public absence that underscores how deeply strained his relationship with the monarchy has become. Although the former Duke of York has not been formally banished from royal life, his distance from family gatherings has become increasingly apparent.
This year’s Christmas celebrations are set to go ahead without him, a development that royal observers say will likely be devastating for Andrew, particularly during a season traditionally centered on family unity. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror that the tension within the family is impossible to ignore.
Read Also: Legal Expert Raises Concerns That Support for Ex-Prince Andrew May Breach Public Office Rules
“I think it’s obvious that Andrew‘s relationship with the rest of the Royal Family is, to say the least, extremely strained,” she said. Bond pointed to a recent public moment that highlighted the rift. “You only have to look at the pictures of him trying to cosy up to William at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral to understand just how awkward things are,” she said. “William virtually blanked him. I think the rest of the Royal Family will be mightily relieved that he won’t be there.”
According to Bond, Andrew’s absence is more than just a private family matter. “It is, though, the most obvious and public sign that he is ostracised and an embarrassment to the family,” she explained. “And that must feel pretty unpleasant. It looks set to be rather a miserable time for the disgraced Mountbatten-Windsor.”
Bond also suggested that Andrew’s personal circumstances have deteriorated alongside his public standing. “Royal Lodge is said to be in quite a state, and many of his possessions have already been removed,” she said, adding that “the status of his relationship with his ex-wife, Sarah, is also up in the air.
The renewed focus on Andrew’s isolation comes as fresh scrutiny emerges over a newly revealed email connected to convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. The message reportedly includes a joking reference asking whether she had “found me some new inappropriate friends” to spend time with. The email was signed only “A xxx” and mentioned being “up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family,” a reference to the royal estate in Scotland.
While the full context of the message remains unclear, its resurfacing has added to the discomfort surrounding Andrew’s position within the monarchy. As the Royal Family gathers for Christmas without him, the absence serves as a visible reminder of how far he has fallen from royal favor and how unlikely it is that his relationship with the family will recover anytime soon.
READ NEXT
- Andrew Faces Christmas Exclusion as expert says He Is “ostracised and an embarrassment to the family”
- Diddy Appeals Sentence, Lawyers Say Judge “defied the jury’s verdict”
- Devon Werkheiser Says It’s “heartbreaking to see him this way” After Co-Star Found Homeless
- Trump’s FBI Says Alleged Epstein Postcard to Larry Nassar Included in DOJ Files Is Fake
- Jeffrey Epstein’s Brother, Mark Epstein, Told FBI He Was Killed to Stop Him From “Naming Names”