The King has signalled that Prince Andrew and ex-wife Fergie will not be welcomed at the royals’ traditional Christmas celebrations – and Jennie Bond says it is also time for the pair to one thing
Prince Andrew attends the Duchess of Kent’s funeral
The Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations at Sandringham are the traditional highlight of the festive season – but two members look set to be missing. It comes after the King has signalled that Prince Andrew and his ex wife Sarah, Duchess of York, will not be welcome for the festivities.
Sources close to Charles said he wanted to keep them at arm’s length after it recently emerged the duchess had kept in contact with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after publicly denouncing him in 2011. Since Fergie’s email resurfaced, and while Andrew has long been linked to Epstein, the King has reportedly made clear that he would prefer the Yorks to take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach for any future family occasions.
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And former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond agrees that there should be no way for them to join their very public Christmas celebrations.
Speaking to the Mirror, she explained: “I think it’s inconceivable that Andrew and Sarah could appear in public at Sandringham. And if they joined the family party but kept away from the public and the cameras, it could open up the King to charges of hypocrisy.
“It’s another very tricky domestic situation for Charles . He is a sensitive man, and family is important to him. Nothing can change the fact that Andrew is his brother.
“But these latest revelations about Fergie‘s association with Jeffrey Epstein – and the prospect that there is more to come – make it impossible for her to be part of the inner family circle again.
“Hopefully, the Yorks will take the same approach as last year when they stayed away from Sandringham because of the revelations about Andrew’s association with an alleged Chinese spy.
“They have their own family to celebrate with, their two daughters, who remain so loyal to them, and their grandchildren. Now is perhaps the time for a permanent end to their Christmas celebrations with the Royal family at Sandringham.
The Yorks’ supposed ousting from royal Christmas plans comes just weeks after Andrew and Fergie raised eyebrows when they made a public entrance with rest of the royal family at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
After the service, Andrew was photographed trying to make light-hearted conversation with the Prince of Wales, who ignored his uncle. It has led some to call for the King to take further action against Andrew, who has already been stripped of his military affiliations.
And Jennie added: “Should the King go further? He’s not a vindictive man, but the disgrace that both Andrew and Fergie have brought on the royal family time and again over the decades must be very hard to bear.
“Selfishly, they seem to undo the good work that the rest of the family regularly carry out. Their greed tarnishes the reputation of the monarchy. And that has to be stopped.
“I think the public would welcome some gesture of punishment, such as stripping Andrew of his place as a Knight of the Garter and also as a Counsellor of State.”
