REBECCA ENGLISH: New humiliation means Andrew may never appear in public with royals again
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Prince Andrew has pulled out of joining the Royal Family for Christmas at Sandringham after being publicly urged ‘to do the decent thing’. After discussing the issue with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, the beleaguered duke made up his mind yesterday to give the annual celebrations in Norfolk a miss.
![[Prince Andrew is photographed driving in his Range Rover today from Royal Lodge in Windsor]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/16/23/93197277-14199347-image-a-20_1734391874249.jpg)
There had been serious concern his presence would put the King, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, in an invidious position given the furore over his brother’s links with alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo. The Mail understands that the Yorks’ children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, had already opted to spend the season with their respective in-laws, having not had the chance to do so for several years, which made the decision a little easier.
![[Prince Andrew passes well-wishers after attending the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/01/93210929-14199347-Prince_Andrew_passes_well_wishers_after_attending_the_Royal_Fami-a-10_1734397744903.jpg)
Last night it had not been officially confirmed whether Andrew would still attend a pre-Sandringham lunch thrown by the King at Buckingham Palace for up to 70 family members on Thursday. But there was a clear ‘working assumption’ at the Palace that he would also recuse himself from that.
![[Andrew with Edward at the Christmas church service in Sandringham on December 25, 2023]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/16/23/93196843-14199347-Andrew_with_Edward_at_the_Christmas_church_service_in_Sandringha-a-21_1734392070636.jpg)
The Mail revealed yesterday that Charles fervently hoped his brother might ‘see sense’ and stay away, rather than force his hand in the wake of his latest scandal. It is understood that the King and Queen were quietly hoping that the Duchess of York might come to their rescue and ‘talk some sense’ into her ex-husband, as one of the few people to still have his ear. Friends say that she was indeed instrumental in his decision.
![[After discussing the issue with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York (pictured), the beleaguered duke made up his mind yesterday to give the annual celebrations in Norfolk a miss]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/01/93211073-14199347-After_discussing_the_issue_with_his_ex_wife_Sarah_Duchess_of_Yor-a-12_1734397744912.jpg)
