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Royal sources tell the Mirror that Prince Andrew ‘does not want to be a distraction, especially as this is the first time the Queen has been together with her family since the start of the pandemic, apart from the prince’s funeral Philip”
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Prince Andrew will not join the Royal Family for the main Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, after deciding to “keep a low profile” over the festive period.
The Duke of York plans to attend an early morning service at the estate’s St Mary Magdalene Church, as he did a month after his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in 2019.
Royal sources have told how Andrew, 61, privately ‘displayed a great deal of uncertainty about Christmas’ and was ‘worried’ about joining the rest of his family at Queen’s Norfolk home for the festive season.
The Duke remains mired in sexual abuse allegations that he had sex with a teenage girl three times in 2001. He has denied the allegations.
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A court date has been set for January 4 to determine whether Andrew will face a full trial in US civil court against his accuser Virginia Giuffre.
A source said: ‘The Duke does not want to be a distraction, especially as this is the first time the Queen has had her family together since the start of the pandemic, apart from Prince Philip’s funeral.
“Everyone hopes to have a time of relaxation and joy.”
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Sources have claimed Andrew was considering hosting his daughters Eugenie and Beatrice and their families at his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor, but agreed to join the family at Sandringham after being personally invited by the Queen.
Other members of the royal family, including Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are expected to join the monarch for Christmas and attend the 11 a.m. service.
It is hoped that royal fans will be greeted on Christmas morning to greet the family as they make their way to the service from the Queen’s mansion.
A spokesman for the Duke tonight had no comment.