Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor made his first public royal appearance since being stripped of his titles as he attended the christening of his granddaughter, Athena. Arriving discreetly at St James’s Palace in London on Friday morning, Andrew entered through a side gate in a green Range Rover, deliberately avoiding the waiting media.
The event marked Andrew’s presence at the Chapel Royal for Princess Beatrice’s daughter’s christening, an occasion attended primarily by immediate family. His attendance comes after King Charles officially removed Andrew’s HRH style and prince title due to his “serious lapses of judgment” tied to his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who also lost her courtesy royal divorcee title and has resumed using her maiden name, was believed to have arrived separately earlier. Athena, born January 22, is Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s second child.
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The intimate ceremony also included Beatrice’s sister Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, with notable guests like singer James Blunt and his wife Sofia Wellesley in attendance. Senior royals were notably absent.
This event represents Andrew’s first royal engagement since attending the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September. He was last seen publicly riding in Windsor Great Park last month.
For years, Andrew has faced allegations from Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew denies these accusations but settled a civil sexual assault claim with Giuffre in 2022 for millions. Following a damaging 2019 interview, Andrew stepped back from royal duties. However, the recent publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs and the US government releasing Epstein’s estate documents have intensified scrutiny.
American politicians have criticized Andrew’s silence, especially after he missed a deadline to participate in an interview regarding Epstein last month. He is expected to move from Royal Lodge in Windsor to King Charles’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk early next year, symbolizing his further retreat from public royal life.