Prince Andrew won’t be present at one of the most important events in the Royal Family’s year. The Duke of York is a regular at the Commonwealth Day Service but won’t be present when the rest of the House of Windsor gather to mark the occasion next week.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the ceremony at Westminster Abbey – it is likely to be one of their last major appearances in the UK before they begin their new lives, stepping back from senior royal roles from March 31st 2020.
Buckingham Palace has just announced that the Queen will be joined, as expected, by her heir, the Prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall for the service as well as by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Prince Charles and Camilla will also attend the annual reception held by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at Marlborough House in London that evening.
The Duke of York gave up frontline royal duties at the end of 2019 following ongoing controversy over his relationship with convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
