Prince Andrew is not expected to make an appearance at this year’s Order of the Garter Day procession at Windsor Castle, the Daily Express understands.
The grand affair, which sees the members of the Order don grand velvet robes, glistening insignia and plumed hats, is one of the most hallowed ceremonies in the royal calendar. This year’s event will take place today, on Monday, June 17, just two days after Trooping the Colour – an event he was also absent from.
But the Duke of York is set to be frozen out of the proceedings for a third year in a row, as King Charles and Prince William are keen to keep a lid on his public-facing appearances.
Andrew has been a Garter Knight since 2006 but as he is no longer a working member of the Royal Family the decision has been made for him to skip the grand procession.
“He won’t be there,” a source said. “There’s a precedent in place now and they don’t want to give him a platform.”
He is expected to attend the private events of the day such as the investiture and the lunch, however.
The decision to keep Andrew away from the public aspect of the day is to avoid a public backlash.
In February, the King’s brother sparked controversy for appearing to lead members of the Royal Family to a memorial service at Windsor Castle.
The Duke of York was pictured smiling as he stood at the front of a group of royals, which included Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Zara and Mike Tindall.
Queen Camilla arrived separately, while Prince William pulled out at the last minute, which is now understood to be due to the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis. King Charles was not performing public-facing duties as his cancer diagnosis had only just been announced.
The King and Queen will be at the ceremony today, which sees Ladies and Knights of the Order of the Garter – the country’s oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry – process down the hill from the Berkshire castle’s State Apartments to St George’s Chapel, dressed in white plumed hats and dark blue velvet robes, watched by crowds of onlookers.
The palace said Charles, Camilla and members of the Royal Family would depart by carriage afterwards and return to the castle.
The installation of new Companions of the Order – including composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber who has been made a Knight Companion – will take place during the service.
Theatre impresario Lord Lloyd Webber, whose hit musicals include The Phantom Of The Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, will also attend a private investiture in the castle’s Garter Throne Room earlier in the day.
Also being invested will be the Duchess of Gloucester as a Royal Lady of the Garter, as well as Lord Kakkar, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London and Air Chief Marshal the Lord Peach, who have both been made Knight Companions.
Andrew stepped down as a working member of the Royal Family in 2019 due to his association with Epstein and allegations – which he has vehemently and repeatedly denied – that he had sex with Virginia Roberts Giuffre when she was 17.
The claims came to light in Florida court documents in April 2015. They stated Ms Giuffre was forced by Epstein to have sex with the royal when she was 17 – which is under the age of consent under Florida law.
In January 2022, Andrew’s military titles and royal patronages were returned to the Queen and he was stripped of his HRH status.
A month later he reached an out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre and made no admission of responsibility.