Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were seen together just minutes before King Charles’s Christmas speech, sparking a Royal Family clash.
Andrew skipped the royal Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, departing Windsor with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson just minutes before King Charles’s annual speech to the nation.
The disgraced Duke of York, 64, was seen leaving his residence, Royal Lodge, at approximately 2:45pm.
The timing of his departure was particularly notable, occurring just minutes before the broadcast of the King’s Christmas message.
Andrew continues to share Royal Lodge with the Duchess of York, from where the pair were spotted leaving together.
The duke had declined to attend the traditional Royal Family gathering at Sandringham, where King Charles hosted the annual festivities.
His absence comes amid revelations of his connection to an alleged Chinese spy scandal.
Andrew was described as a “close confidant” of Yang Tengbo, who was banned from the UK on national security grounds.
The pair maintained a friendship spanning more than a decade.
A statement from Andrew’s office addressed the controversy: “The Duke of York followed advice from HMG and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised.”
The statement further emphasised: “The duke met the individual through official channels, with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed.”
Court judges highlighted an “unusual degree of trust” between Andrew and the individual, warning that “pressures on the duke could make him vulnerable to the misuse of that sort of influence.
Royal commentators now predict Prince Andrew will permanently absent himself from future Sandringham celebrations.
Biographer Andrew Lownie told The Sun: “I don’t think he’s going to go to Sandringham ever again.”
Lownie suggested the Royal Family “need to distance themselves from him” to prevent further embarrassment.
The biographer described how the prince had been “forced” out of the traditional Christmas festivities.
