Prince Andrew and his family have spent many a Christmas at Sandringham, but the Duke of York has found the ‘perfect excuse’ not to attend this year, according to a royal expert.

King Charles is set to open the doors of Sandringham house for another year, continuing a tradition that has seen the Royal family spend Christmas at the Norfolk home for over 160 years. The festive gathering is no small affair, with the wider family, including Prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, usually in attendance.

However, this Christmas day, Andrew has the ‘perfect excuse’ not to attend, according to former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond. With both Eugenie and Beatrice now married and mothers themselves, Jennie has suggested to OK! the house could be too full.

“As families expand, life gets more complicated. And the Yorks now have two sons-in-law and four grandchildren to consider. So it is beginning to become untenable to have the whole extended royal family under one roof at Sandringham…especially with Camilla’s family to consider as well,” she explained.

Christmas at Sandringham has been a long-standing royal tradition, with Prince Andrew (pictured there in 2000) a staple on the guest list ( 
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Getty Images)

Princess Beatrice and Eugenie are both doting mothers now, making Christmas busier ( 
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Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Eugenie is mum to two sons, August and Ernest, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, whom she wed in 2018. Meanwhile, Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child together. They already share a daughter, Sienna, born in 2021, and Edoardo has an eight year old son, Christopher Woolf, from a previous relationship.

Jennie confirmed that Andrew will definitely receive an invite, as usual. She said: “However, it seems that Andrew remains keen on the traditional royal Christmas and, even after all the controversy over Royal Lodge, he and Sarah will almost certainly be invited to share the King and Queen’s celebrations. They don’t, however, usually stay in the main house but at Wood Farm nearby, where they can do their own family thing if they want. Charles is not a vindictive man…far from it…and whatever has gone on between the brothers, I think he will always extend an invitation for Andrew and his family to share big family occasions.”

Jennie also speculated that things would be easier if Andrew and Sarah do their own celebrations. “But Andrew’s own growing family will give him and Sarah the perfect reason to avoid Sandringham and surround themselves with their daughters and little one. Beatrice and Eugenie are very protective of both their parents”.

Christmas at Sandringham sees the royals head to church on Christmas day ( 
Image:
Getty Images)“And you can’t help but think that life would be easier all round if the Yorks began to stage their own festivities at Christmas.”

Christmas at Sandringham is a tradition embedded into Royal life, with Royal expert Duncan Larcombe recently sharing: “Christmas at Sandringham has been absolutely central to the family for years, and that legacy looks certain to continue with Charles.

“The estate has more of a country house feel than other royal residences, and it reflects the family’s love of the great outdoors.” Queen Victoria bought the 20,000-acre estate for £22,000 in 1862. When the pandemic struck in 2020 it prevented Queen Elizabeth II hosting Christmas there for the first time in 32 years.

“Sandringham had a very special place in the Queen’s heart,” Duncan adds. “It was where her father George VI passed away in 1952, which always gave it extra meaning for her.”