Prince Andrew smiled today as he walked front and center. with Princess Anne and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson to attend the Easter Sunday service at Windsor.
The Duke of York put on a brave face at St George’s Chapel just days before the premiere of the Netflix film Scoop which will delve into the royal’s car crash Newsnight interview over her relationship with pedophile Jeffery Epstein.
Shortly after his arrival, King Charles, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, arrived by car alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, in his most significant public appearance since his diagnosis.
The monarch, 75, appeared in good spirits, greeting supporters in a bid to allay public fears after a turbulent few weeks in which the Princess of Wales, 42, was also diagnosed with cancer.
In recent weeks, the reality of having a slimmed down monarchy has been laid bare. The King took a break from his public duties in February, while Kate also took a step back due to her abdominal surgery and her subsequent diagnosis.
Prince William is also taking some time away from the royal spotlight as he spends time with his wife and three children privately in their country home, Amner Hall, where they can “shut out the world and move on.”
Today’s event showed viewers that the Duke of York is truly back in the royal fold and will no longer shy away from the public spotlight at a time when fewer senior royals are available.
It marks an extraordinary turn just two years after his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, banned him from royal duties and stripped him of his HRH and military titles.
Prince Andrew smiled today as he walked front and center alongside the royals while attending the Easter Sunday service in Windsor.
The Duke of York entered St George’s Chapel with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and her sister, Princess Anne.
King Charles attended the service, marking his first significant public appearance since being diagnosed with cancer in February.
The extraordinary move came after Andrew settled a sexual assault case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, a sex slave victim of Andrew’s close friend Epstein.
Today Prince Andrew was seen laughing alongside members of his family as they shook hands and spoke to clergy.
It comes just days before the new Netflix film is set to repeat what is considered the most disastrous interview in royal history, where Emily Maitlis questioned the duke about sexual allegations made against him by Mrs Giuffre.
The film, starring Rufus Sewell as the Duke of York and Gillian Anderson as Mrs Maitlis, is released on Friday and will bring another headache for King Charles as his battle with cancer continues.
It will also bring Andrew’s explosive interview, in which he made no apologies for his friendship with Epstein, to a new audience of millions of people around the world.
Scoop will show the moment the Queen’s son naively declared “that went well, didn’t it?” after the interview and how he joked about meeting Epstein in New York.
The King and his son, Prince William, were said at the time to have been instrumental in the Queen’s decision to strip him of all military titles and patronage; However, as seen today, the Duke has recently been welcomed back into the royal spotlight.
Scoop (starring Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew) will be released on Friday and will bring his shocking interview back into the royal spotlight.
Sewell as the Duke of York and Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis in Scoop, left, which retells the story of her 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, considered the most disastrous in royal history.
Royal biographer and investigative journalist Tom Bower believes Scoop should remind the king to stop any attempt by his brother to return to public life.
He said: “To save the Royal Family from more horrendous harm, King Charles will eventually have to order Prince Andrew to remain permanently out of public view.” Senior officials must also tell Andrew the truth.
He is a serious burden and cannot be trusted or rescued. Unless King Charles gets a firm grip on this nettle, it can only get worse.”
The Duke’s appearance today, which would have been unheard of two years ago, comes just weeks after the Duke accompanied the Royal Family to Windsor Castle for a service of thanksgiving for the late King Constantine of Greece.
King Charles was unable to attend the event as he continues to battle cancer, while Prince William had to pull out of the service at the last minute for “personal reasons.”
It was later revealed that the heir had suddenly left the service when Kate had begun her preventive chemotherapy treatment, described as a “path to recovery”.
Queen Camilla took the reins of the event, but arrived separately, prompting Queen Elizabeth’s second son to step forward and lead the younger royals, including Princess Anne, her daughter Zara and her husband Mike Tindall, at the service.
And in another incredible turn of events, his ex-wife was once again at his side as they marched towards St George’s Chapel followed by their daughter Beatrice.
Prince Andrew was seen leading members of the Royal Family at a thanksgiving service at Windsor Castle for the late King Constantine of Greece last month.
Britain’s Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, smiling as they arrive at St George’s Chapel last month.
Biographer and royal expert Phil Dampier told MailOnline earlier this month that Andrew had taken his chance and is still clearly hoping to make a full comeback, with Fergie following close behind.
He said: “We have been reminded of the fragility of the situation and Andrew will probably be encouraged to think that one day he will be able to make some kind of comeback, although it is not likely for at least a year or two, if ever. does”.
Andrew’s appearance at the memorial to the late Greek monarch marked the first time he had been seen at a public event since the Christmas Day service at Sandringham.
Almost two years have passed since the day his deal with Ms Giuffre, estimated to be worth around £12 million ($16.3 million), was revealed.
The move spared him having to give evidence under oath at any trial in the US and there were claims the Queen helped him pay for it.