Prince Andrew enjoys quiet horse ride in Windsor after poll names him the UK’s least favourite royal

Prince Andrew appeared in high spirits as he enjoyed a quiet horse ride around the grounds of Windsor Castle today.

The Duke of York, 63, was only accompanied by a groom for his typical Saturday morning outing, which his brother Prince Edward sometimes joins.

Andrew and his riding companion chatted animatedly throughout the jaunt, with the father-of-two seen smiling widely in a purple crewneck jumper and riding jodhpurs.

He also wore a pair of riding gloves and kept safety in mind with a helmet.

Last month, Andrew was seen travelling to church alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales as they joined other royals for the first summer break at Balmoral since the late Queen spent her final days there before her death a year ago.

But while the outing was seen as a ‘public statement of togetherness’ – it’s clear Britons aren’t so keen on Andrew being ‘welcomed back into the Royal Family’s fold’, with an exclusive poll by MailOnline showing he is the nation’s least favourite royal.

The Duke of York should receive no public money, according to almost 80 per cent of Britons, with just one in ten saying he should – fewer than those who wanted to see a fictional Earl and Countess paid taxpayer funds.

Andrew should also be removed from the line of succession, the vast majority argued – despite being eighth in line to the throne and often spoken of as the late monarch’s favourite child.

Almost 80 per cent of the public think he should be barred from inheriting the crown – meaning Andrew fared even worse in public opinion than Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle.

The British public also largely share the view that King Charles should ensure his controversial younger brother must never be allowed to return duties again. 

Almost half of people surveyed believe ‘there are no good things about him, only bad things’ when it comes to the Duke of York.

The 63-year-old is no longer a working royal, despite pictures of him at a Balmoral church service last month indicating the Windsors were welcoming him back into the fold.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline at the time that the photographs of Prince Andrew travelling to church with the Waleses were ‘clearly intended to send a message of family unity’.

The Duke of York, 63, was only accompanied by a groom for his typical Saturday morning outing, which his brother Prince Edward sometimes joins

Andrew and his riding companion chatted animatedly throughout the jaunt, with the father-of-two seen smiling widely in a purple crewneck jumper and riding jodhpurs

But he insisted it was not a sign Andrew could return to public duties in any form. 

It has been a dramatic fall from grace for a man, who, as a Royal Navy veteran of 22 years once commanded the respect of a nation.

He has since given up his HRH titles and had his honorary military roles stripped by the Queen, being denied the right to wear his military uniform on a number of occasions, including as he followed his mother’s coffin.

Andrew quit his role as a trade envoy when pictures emerged of him walking in New York’s Central Park with American financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in 2010.

Images also surfaced of the Prince with his arm around Virginia Giuffre, who claimed that Epstein employed her as a masseuse but exploited her while under-age.

Giuffre has alleged she was forced to have sex with him three times aged 17 when under Epstein’s orders – a claim Prince Andrew continues to vehemently deny.

Then came the car-crash interview with Emily Maitlis on Newsnight in 2019 – an attempt to wash his hands of the controversy that blew up in his face.

Andrew paid Virginia Giuffre a reported £12million out-of-court settlement last year to get her to drop her civil claim in the US. 

While Andrew has largely kept a low profile following the string of scandals, it seems from the new poll data that the public would like to see even less of him – with 53 per cent of people saying he should undertake fewer public engagements.