The appearance of Prince Andrew at the royal family's Easter gathering came as a surprise to many, as the Duke of York, who was stripped of his title and public role following a multi-million dollar settlement with Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, is seldom seen with his family these days.
Observers were taken aback by his attendance at the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, where he walked directly behind his older brother, King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla, and alongside his sister, Princess Anne.
It was believed that King Charles and his son Prince William had advised Queen Elizabeth to remove the title from the 63-year-old prince in 2021. A seasoned royal observer told us, "I was surprised to see Andrew right behind Charles and particularly next to Anne. They are not usually that close."
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Despite the speculation that Andrew's appearance may hint at a possible return to public life, insiders claim otherwise. They clarified that there is a clear distinction between family events like holidays and official engagements, and it would have been awkward for Charles not to invite Andrew, considering his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, were present with their partners.
However, the source emphasized, "There's no way back into public life for Andrew."
Prince Andrew will be present at King Charles' coronation but will be barred from the balcony at Buckingham Palace, which is reserved for working royals only. While his seating arrangement at the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on May 6 is yet to be determined, a source familiar with the prince said, "Andrew will be fine."
Although there have been rumors of Prince Andrew writing a tell-all book, similar to his nephew Prince Harry, a source dismissed the idea as highly unlikely. Instead, the source said, "The way forward for Andrew is a life in service behind the scenes."
Andrew continues to receive unwavering support from his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. In an interview with The Independent last week, she expressed her love for him, stating, "Nothing can beat love for me … when you are in love, you can do anything for love." She added, "And I married a wonderful, very kind, and a very good man. I fell in love with him. And therefore, nothing was unsurmountable."