Prince Andrew, Sarah, Duchess of York, and their youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, did not join the festivities this year.
Prince Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties in 2019 due to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has occasionally attended the annual Christmas walk. However, this year, the Duke of York confirmed weeks prior that he, Sarah, and Eugenie would not be present at Sandringham.
The decision comes amid renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s connections. Just two weeks ago, he made headlines due to his ties to Yang Tengbo, an alleged Chinese spy. A High Court hearing revealed that Yang, who has denied any involvement in espionage, was a “close” confidant of Andrew and had access to three royal palaces through the Duke’s Pitch@Palace initiative. Andrew’s office stated that he severed all contact with Yang when concerns were raised and insisted that their discussions were never of a sensitive nature.
Adding to the speculation, Andrew also skipped the King’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. Royal editor Matt Wilkinson suggested that the absence of Andrew, Sarah, and Eugenie might hint at a larger rift within the York family and their relationship with the rest of the royals.
Emily Nash noted that Sarah Ferguson likely played a role in advising Andrew to stay away, saying, “Sarah Ferguson is the person who stepped in and told Andrew that this might be the right thing to do to spare the royal family’s blushes.” Despite this, Sarah remains on good terms with the royal family, particularly Queen Camilla.
While Andrew and Sarah spent Christmas at Royal Lodge in Windsor, Princess Eugenie celebrated with her in-laws, a plan made several months ago. Eugenie shares two sons, August, 3, and Ernest, 1, with her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
Princess Beatrice, who was initially expected to spend Christmas abroad with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s family, changed her plans and joined the royals at Sandringham instead. Pregnant with her second child, Beatrice received medical advice against traveling long distances. The upcoming baby will be a sibling to the couple’s daughter, Sienna, 3, and Edoardo’s son from a previous relationship, Wolfie, 8.
