The King has made an early Christmas wish and it will be very noticeable this festive season.
King Charles has indicated that Sarah, Duchess of York won’t be welcome at the royal festive celebrations this year and neither will Prince Andrew.
According to reports in The Sunday Times, The King is hoping not to spend the season with Andrew and Sarah.
A source told the paper that ”you can’t sack someone from being your brother but…if the duke and duchess were both to be as honourable as last year, it would be very much for the best.”
In 2024, Andrew and Sarah were missing from the royal Christmas after the Duke of York was drawn into yet another controversy. Just months earlier, it had been alleged he had had links with a Chinese man who was investigated as a spy.
Now, there is fresh pressure on the Yorks after the publication of an email sent by the duchess in 2011 to convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
In it, Fergie apologised for an interview she had given in which she disowned him and said he had been ”hellaciously” let down by her. She added she had never used the ”P word” about him and that she thought of him as a ”supreme friend”.
Following the publication of the email, seven charities dropped Sarah, Duchess of York as a patron. The duchess said she had only sent the email as she feared Epstein might take legal action against her.
It’s been reported that she hope to explain the situation herself to the ”wider royal family” in time. However, it would appear that time won’t be Christmas as all indications are that The King is looking to the Yorks not being involved in the annual get together at Sandringham.
In 2023, King Charles welcomed Sarah, Duchess of York on the walk from Sandringham House to St. Mary Magdalene’s church for Christmas morning service, marking the first time Fergie had been involved in this public part of the royal festive celebrations for decades.
However, last year, the duchess stayed away after her former husband, with whom she still shares a home, was thrown into fresh controversy.
The couple’s younger daughter, Princess Eugenie, didn’t take part in the Sandringham celebrations either. However, Andrew and Sarah’s elder child, Princess Beatrice, attended with her family. That was a last minute decision after Beatrice, who was then around 6 months pregnant, was told by doctors not to travel and so cancelled plans to celebrate Christmas in Italy.
The Prince of Wales is also understood to be keen that Andrew and Fergie are nowhere near public royal events in the future.
Prince William was notably frosty with his uncle, Prince Andrew, on the steps of Westminster Cathedral after both attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent. The Duke of York had stood next to the heir to the throne as mourners left the service and begun talking to him, at one point laughing, but William studiously ignored him throughout the whole event and Andrew eventually walked away.
Fergie has slowly been involved in more public royal events in recent years, attending Easter service at Windsor alongside The King and Queen.
