No more royal events for Prince Andrew. The Duke of York, 64, is once again at the center of a scandal, and commentators and insiders say it is simply too much for the British royal family. They are reportedly ready See you with Andrew in public. Ahead, details on the allegations surrounding Andrew’s relationship with an alleged Chinese spy and why it’s “the final nail in his coffin.”
Prince Andrew is under fire for his connection to an alleged Chinese spy
First, the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and Andrews’ extensive panning News night interview, then Royal Lodge dramaand now a spy scandal. The third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip is back in the news for being linked to Yang Tengbo, an alleged Chinese spy. Tengbo was banned from the UK in part for her secret relationship with Andrew (via Newsweek).
The businessman is said to have visited Andrew at Buckingham Palace twice in 2018. He also reportedly went to St. James’s Palace and Windsor Castle at Andrew’s invitation.
Andrew’s then released a statement from his office saying he had cut ties with Tengbo on the “advice” of officials. Meanwhile, Tengbo said he “has not done anything wrong or illegal.”
Insiders say Andrew has been making public appearances with the rest of the royal family
To talk to Daily Maila source suggested the spy scandal is the final straw for Andrews’ public appearances alongside her royals. “I find it hard to imagine him ever joining them publicly again, to be honest,” the insider said. “There are only so many times the Duke can be told to keep his head down and wait for the storm to pass. Enough is enough.”
Royal writer Phil Dampier echoed the comments and recounted The sun the “big scandal” may just be the “final nail” for Andrew. “The fact that this guy apparently appeared in Prince Andrew’s circle and was seemingly in and out of the Royal Lodge … is a concern for the security services. Who knows what (a spy) might stumble upon? It’s a very big scandal.”
“The problem for Andrew is clearly that on top of this scandal,” Dampier continued, “he was involved with the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. It’s not very pretty. It backfires on him dramatically. And on top of the Epstein thing, it’s really a final nail in his coffin.”
Andrews’ number of public appearances decreased in the years following his 2019 Newsnight interview about Epstein. (It has since been made into Netflix and Amazon Prime Original Movies.)
However, he has occasionally floundered back into the royal spotlightnamely for great festivals, the king’s coronation and funerals. Andrew remains a non-working royal after being stripped of his patronage following his association with Epstein and subsequent trial.
Prince Andrew is skipping the royal family’s Christmas festivities
Not being seen with his British royals now begins for Andrew. He is reportedly not going to be there the royal family’s Christmas festivitieswhich included a large party at Buckingham Palace on 19 December 2024, before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations.
The palace reportedly had a “clear ‘working assumption’,” according to the news agency, that Andrew would quietly back away from the festivities. In addition, King Charles III hoped his younger brother would “see sense” and stay out of the middle of the spy scandal.
He – and Queen Camilla – also counted on Sarah Ferguson, the Duke’s ex-wife, to “talk some sense” into him. She reportedly did, and her role turned out to be extremely instrumental.
Ferguson and Andrew stay away from Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England this Christmas. Instead, they will celebrate the holiday at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, England.
Meanwhile, their daughters, Princess Beatrice36 and Princess Eugenie34, are said to celebrate with their respective in-laws.
