The Royal Family greeted members of the public at a traditional Christmas Day service on the King’s Sandringham estate, but Prince Andrew was noticeably absent amid a scandal over his ties to an alleged Chinese spy.
Hundreds of wellwishers had gathered to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen they headed to St Mary Magdalene Church.
The couple were followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who held hands with their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, six.
The Duke of York, who is King Charles’s younger brother, did not attend the annual event, following the bombshell revelation that he had had a relationship with a Chinese businessman accused of espionage for Beijing.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, walks to attend the Royal Family’s Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene’s church (Photo: Reuters)Yang Tengbo, who was later barred from the UK on national security grounds, was described as a “close confidant” of the Duke’s and was reportedly authorised to act on his behalf to seek potential investors in China.
He visited Buckingham Palace twice, as well as St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle at the invitation of Prince Andrew, The Times has reported, with the Prince reportedly inviting Yang to his birthday party in 2020.
The Duke said that he met Yang through official channels and that nothing sensitive was ever discussed, and confirmed he had “ceased all contact” with the man.
Yang has denied being a Chinese spy and said he has done nothing wrong or unlawful.
The Sandringham Christmas service is one of the key events in the royal calendar, bringing together all of its most senior members and drawing crowds and photographers.
But coming so soon after the Duke’s latest controversy, there were concerns that his presence could overshadow the event.
Princess Charlotte, centre, and her brother George, back right, could be seen behind their grandparents (Photo: Reuters)(Left to right) The Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, the Prince of Wales, Prince George and Mike Tindall attending the Christmas Day morning church (Photo: PA)Earlier this month, royal sources confirmed that Prince Andrew had withdrawn from the Sandringham Christmas service to avoid being a distraction, and instead is believed to be at home in Windsor.
Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah is also expected to be at the Royal Lodge in Windsor during the holiday.
The Duke officially stepped back from royal duties in 2019 amid controversy over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations he participated in sexual abuse, but had continued to attend the service.
In 2022, Prince Andrew agreed to a multi-million pound settlement with his accuser Virginia Giuffre in order to avoid a bombshell legal trial, and said he regretted his association with Epstein. The settlement was without any admission of liability and he has always denied wrongdoing.
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