Prince Andrew to Miss Royal Family’s Christmas Gathering at Sandringham

According to royal sources who spoke to the BBC, the Duke of York will not be present with the other members of the Royal Family for their customary Christmas assembly at Sandringham. Prince Andrew is anticipated to “honourably withdraw” from the Royal Family’s Christmas activities, a move intended to prevent him from becoming a focal point of attention. Instead, he is projected to remain at his residence in Windsor on Christmas Day. This development follows the identification of an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo (also known as Chris Yang), who has connections to the prince, subsequent to a High Court ruling. Mr. Yang had previously been prohibited from entering the United Kingdom. On Monday, the Chinese businessman issued a statement refuting claims of being a spy and asserting that he had “done nothing wrong or unlawful”. Prince Andrew’s office stated that no sensitive matters were ever discussed with Mr. Yang, who is reportedly implicated in an operation aimed at cultivating relationships with influential individuals. However, as the controversy surrounding his association with Mr. Yang continues to garner media attention, it has now been disclosed that Prince Andrew will not attend the Sandringham gathering, a departure from past years. The Christmas morning church service represents a significant occasion in the royal calendar, uniting the Royal Family for a public appearance, where crowds and photographers document the event. Reports had indicated that Prince Andrew was privately encouraged to maintain a discreet presence this Christmas, to prevent him from becoming the primary topic of discussion should he participate in the Sandringham assembly. Apprehensions existed that his attendance might eclipse the event itself. Consequently, he will be absent from an event he has attended previously, given that despite no longer being a working royal and having withdrawn from public life, he would typically still be present at such family functions. The Prince of Wales recently disclosed that 45 guests were expected at their royal Christmas dinner, a number that could now potentially decrease to 43. Prince Andrew’s former wife, Sarah, is also anticipated to be at Royal Lodge in Windsor for Christmas. Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were reportedly already planning to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws this year. Previously, Mr. Yang was referred to as “H6” in court documents and news reports, owing to an anonymity order safeguarding his identity. However, a judge determined on Monday that the Chinese businessman’s name could be revealed. Mr. Yang, who a court ruling had identified as sharing an “unusual degree of trust” with Prince Andrew, asserted that it was “entirely untrue” that he was a spy. He received an invitation to the prince’s birthday celebration in 2020 and was informed he could represent the royal when engaging with prospective investors in China. Furthermore, one of Prince Andrew’s advisers conveyed to him in a letter: “Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor.” In the previous week, the United Kingdom’s semi-secret national security court affirmed a 2023 prohibition preventing the alleged spy, Mr. Yang, from entering the nation. Mr. Yang had approached the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) to contest this ruling. Nevertheless, the commission concluded that the ban should persist due to suspicions of his involvement in an “elite capture” operation, a strategy employed by the Chinese state to wield influence in Western countries. Prince Andrew had previously stated that he had “ceased all contact” with the Chinese businessman, clarifying that all interactions had occurred “through official channels” and that “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the material on external websites. Details regarding its policy on external links are available.