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Prince Andrew walked in solidarity with his older brother Charles today as they made their way to their annual Christmas Day service at Sandringham.
The beleaguered Duke of York cut a solemn figure as he was supported by Prince Charles, who walked into St Mary Magdalene Church with him on his first public outing since his controversial Newsnight interview.
But Andrew then failed to attend the following service at 11am, while the rest of his family cheerily greeted well-wishers.
Instead, he returned to the house on the Norfolk estate to join his father the Duke of Edinburgh, who was discharged from hospital in London yesterday.
In recent months the Duke of York has stepped back from royal duties and been dropped by a number of charities amid the furore that followed his BBC interview and friendship with the paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew’s daughter’s went to both services, with Princess Beatrice joined by her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi for the first time at the church.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York arriving to attend the church service
As Royals entertain the crowds – a Range Rover believed to be carrying Prince Andrew leaves from a different exit
The Duke of York appeared to be taken away in a Range Rover while the rest of the family attended an 11am service
Wearing a fur coat and silk head scarf, Her Majesty arrived at her Norfolk estate this morning
The Earl of Wessex and his daughter Lady Louise Windsor strolled into St Mary Magdalene Church together
The new Fab Four: Karen Anvil, 40, who last year took the perfect shot of Kate, William, Meghan and Harry scored again today as she captured this image of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their two eldest children
Today is the first time the younger royals have attended, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte going into church alongside their parents, William and Kate. At six and four they are now old enough to sit through the service
The Queen, 93, donned a fetching red hat and matching coat for the annual service at Sandringham
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived with their children George and Charlotte
Family unit: Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte
Andrew and Fergie’s Christmas card makes thinly-veiled reference to Epstein scandal
If there is one person who might want to see the back of 2019, it is the Duke of York.
And it looks like he and ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, have made some not-so-thinly veiled references to it in their Christmas cards to family and friends.
Their festive tidings feature one image of one of their beloved Norfolk terriers nose-deep in a bush showing its rear end to the camera, with the caption: ‘Say Goodbye to 2019.’
Another photo shows what is believed to be the Queen’s Balmoral estate and a path through the Highlands, with the message: ‘We Look to the Road Ahead.’
Inside the white embossed card – also from daughters Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29 – there is the printed message: ‘We are united with gratitude for your support and kindness, Thank you.’
The implication could not be any clearer – we are a family and we stand together, no matter what.
The message of unity follows Andrew’s disastrous interview with the BBC last month in which he tried to clear his name over the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal.
Hundreds of well-wishers have been queuing since the early hours to catch a glimpse of members of the royal family, and waved excitedly as the Queen left with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and was driven to the royal family’s traditional 11am service.
Last year, the Duke of York arrived for the service with his mother.
Andrew stepped back from public life following November’s ‘car crash’ BBC interview in which he attempted to explain his friendship with Epstein.
He repeatedly denied claims that he had sex with one of the disgraced financier’s victims, Virginia Roberts, when she was just 17. Miss Roberts then accused him of lying.
The Queen’s second son also faced calls to speak to the FBI about his relationship with Epstein, who was found dead in his prison cell in August awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
Andrew was effectively sacked by his mother after his older brother Charles warned her that the scandal threatened to engulf the monarchy.
As the Queen is head of the Church of England, it is a key part of royal celebrations.
Following the service, the Windsors enjoy a festive lunch back at Sandringham House and then settle down together to watch the Queen’s Christmas Day speech.
In her broadcast to the nation and the Commonwealth, the Queen is to acknowledge the ‘bumpy’ path the royal family and the nation has experienced over the past 12 months.
But the biggest ‘bump’ faced by the Royal Family was the fallout from the Duke of York’s disastrous Newsnight interview about his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, 59, is expected to watch his mother’s televised broadcast to the nation with the rest of the family at Sandringham tomorrow.
She will say: ‘Small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding.
‘The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference.’
The comments are believed to be her first public reference to the turmoil faced by her family this year.
She dubbed 1992 an ‘annus horribilis’ in a speech to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession.
In that year Charles separated from Princess Diana, Andrew split from his wife Sarah Ferguson, Princess Anne divorced Captain Mark Phillips, and a fire engulfed Windsor Castle.
Princess Beatrice was given permission by the Queen to bring her fiance to Sandringham this year – and they even accompanied her to church on Christmas Day
The Prince of Wales looked delighted as he spoke to fans who gathered outside the church
Four-year-old Princess Charlotte – who matched her mother’s outfit – followed her grandmother out of the church
Royal line up: Members of the family beamed as they strolled into the 11am service today
Prince Edward and Sophie were typically dapper as they walked through Sandringham together
The Duchess of Cambridge’s accessories perfectly matched her daughter Charlotte’s coat
Kate wore yellow gold green amethyst Candy earrings by Kiki McDonough – worth more than £3,100 – to church
Princess Eugenie of York followed the Cambridges, wearing a simple black coat and navy feather headband
Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex who wore a maroon headband and matching clutch bah
Six-year-old Prince George, who is usually clad in shorts, cut a very smart figure in a suit and tie
The Princess Royal and the Duchess of Cornwall chatted animatedly as they made their way up the steps behind the Queen
Princess Anne put on a bold sartorial display with leather gloves and matching handbag, an embossed brooch and fish-patterned shawl
Prince George, six, didn’t look terribly impressed as he made his way into the church
It appeared the six-year-old was being scolded by his mother before they went into the church
Little Charlotte smiled as she held her parents’ hands. while her grandfather Charles happily greeted crowds
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Anne were resplendent in royal blue and purple, respectively
The Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed Princess Beatrice into the service this morning
Karen Anvil, 40, was one of hundreds who braved the cold to get a glimpse of the royal family as they walked to St Mary Magdalene Church, on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on 25 December last year. She made some £40,000 from her snap of the ‘Fab Four’ – and captured this great shot today
The Princess Royal wore a fetching purple fedora as she walked alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence
Today is the first time the younger royals have attended, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte going into church alongside their parents, William and Kate. At six and four they are now old enough to sit through the service
The Earl and Countess of Wessex – matching their children in grey and beige coats – beamed at the crowds
The Duchess of Cambridge wrapped up in a long grey woollen coat which she teamed with green court shoes
Kate cheerfully smiled and waved to adoring fans who waited for hours in the biting cold to see her and her family
The Duchess of Cambridge teamed her pine green hat with matching court heels, which perfectly contrasted her grey woollen and fur-trimmed military-style coat
Little George clutched his father’s hand as they walked through Sandringham and into the church together
Hundreds of people have been queuing overnight to catch a glimpse of the royals
The Royal Family tweeted these images of the Queen’s speeches from 2010-2018 this morning, with the caption: ‘Merry Christmas everyone! Today marks the 68th Queen’s Christmas speech and the last of the decade’
Prince Charles and Camilla tweeted this photograph today, with the message: ‘Wishing all our followers a very happy Christmas from Clarence House’
With Her Majesty’s acknowledgement of the ‘bumpy’ path the Royal Family and the nation has experienced in the past 12 months, it is likely to be more compelling viewing than ever (pictured: making this year’s broadcast to the nation from Windsor Castle in Berkshire)
The royals dazzled in their colourful outfits outside the church this afternoon
Although the Duke of Edinburgh was discharged from hospital on Christmas Eve, he has not attended the church service on the Queen’s private estate in Norfolk today.
The duke was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in central London on Friday and spent four nights undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ongoing health issue.
The 98-year-old, who received minor injuries after being involved in a car crash near the estate in January, missed the service at St Mary Magdalene Church last year to stay at home, despite being in good health at the time.
It is also unlikely that the Duke of York will arrive with the Queen, as he did in 2018, amid the fallout from a disastrous television interview about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew stepped down from public duties for the foreseeable future following his appearance on BBC Newsnight, when he was heavily criticised for showing little remorse over his friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein.
In the interview, the duke denied claims he slept with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, on three separate occasions.
In another departure from last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not walk into the church side by side with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Harry and Meghan will be celebrating Archie Mountbatten-Windsor’s first festive season with the duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, instead of joining the royal family’s traditional celebration in Norfolk.
Their choice to spend Christmas away from Sandringham follows claims of a rift, first between Meghan and Kate, which appeared to have been been quashed as they arrived together at last year’s service, and then between Harry and brother William.
In an ITV television documentary broadcast in October, Harry, when asked about the situation, said he loved his brother dearly but they were ‘on different paths at the moment’.
The Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn
Prince William is pictured kissing Prince Louis in adorable new photograph of the family taken by the Duchess of Cambridge
The Duchess of Cambridge has taken an adorable new family photograph of Prince William kissing Prince Louis on the cheek.
The black and white photo shows the Duke of Cambridge with their youngest child, while Princess Charlotte and Prince George look towards the camera.
The duke wears a flat cap as he holds on closely to his son in the photo, which was taken by the duchess, a keen photographer, earlier this year in Norfolk.
Princess Charlotte also appears to be holding on to her younger brother as she stands behind him, while Prince George sits next to them in a chair as he cheekily smirks at the camera.
This is not the first time Kate, one of the world’s most photographed people, has gone behind the lens and released her own pictures.
The duchess was named as the new patron of the Royal Photographic Society earlier this year following her flourishing passion in photography.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wish their Instagram fans Merry Christmas from Canada – as they shun service at Sandringham with the rest of the royals
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have wished their Instagram followers a happy Christmas from Canada amid clamour for them to return home and join the embattled Royals at Sandringham.
At 9am – which would have been the early hours across the Atlantic where the couple are still thought to be – they wrote: ‘Wishing you all a very merry Christmas – their Royal Highness the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.’
The post, which was accompanied by emojis of a Christmas tree, Santa and a snowman, came as the Queen and other members of the Royal Family prepared to head to church in Sandringham.
Harry and Meghan have stonewalled calls for them to cut short their six-week trip and return home in the wake of Prince Philip’s spell in hospital.
Prince Harry and Meghan have wished their scores of Instagram followers a happy Christmas
American actress Janina Gavankar was asked by her friend Meghan Markle to take the image for the card which shows her and husband Prince Harry with their seven-month-old son Archie in the foreground
Last month, the Sussexes and eight-month-old Archie secretly flew to Canada for a holiday.
Since then, the Royals have endured a tough time as Prince Andrew continues to bunker down amid a swirling storm over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Philip recovers from a four-night stint in the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, London.
Some in the Family have privately urged Harry and Meghan to jet back to show support, according to the Sun.
But the couple is seemingly staying put in North America and is ignoring calls for their return.
The couple have missed the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace and will miss the monarch’s annual get together at her private Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
It comes after a family Christmas card of the royal couple smiling in front of a Christmas tree, with Archie’s adorable face staring down the camera lens, was revealed.
The Duchess, a former actress, lived and worked in Toronto during her time starring in the popular US drama Suits, and the couple were famously pictured together when Meghan joined her then-boyfriend Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in the Canadian city.
Buckingham Palace had previously announced the Sussexes intended to take a six-week break from duties and would not spend Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family.
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