Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is due to attend the pre-Christmas party at Buckingham Palace this Thursday but, following the Chinese spy debacle, insiders say he should do “the gentlemanly thing”

Prince Andrew has been told to “uninvite himself” from the Royal Family’s pre-Christmas bash over his friendship with a Chinese spy, reports claim.

The Duke of York, 64, is due to attend the lunch at Buckingham Palace this Thursday but, following the Chinese spy row, sources say he should “do “the gentlemanly thing” and skip the function.

His attendance would lead to fresh embarrassment over the scandal of his Chinese spy pal, insiders added. One said: “He is under pressure to step away.”

The Prince is also being urged to avoid being seen in public when the royals walk to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day, following a difficult year for The Firm.

King Charles may confront his brother at the function if Andrew attend, it is reported ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Andrew’s invite to Thursday’s meal at Buckingham Palace for more than 50 members of the extended Royal Family is now said to be unten­able, with courtiers urging the Prince not to force King Charles’s hand in barring him. It would be the brothers’s first face-to-face meeting since the scandal broke, it is thought.

A source today told The Sun: “There would inevitably have to be some very awkward conversations and the King would not relish making his brother squirm.

“Andrew has managed the unthinkable and made a complete t*t of himself even before the Christmas party. It’s been a hell of a year for The Firm and the last thing they want is this scandal dragging on during a period of celebration. The thinking is he’s been foolish, but the more he keeps his head down the sooner everyone can move on.”

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And Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, told the publication: “Andrew should take it on himself and decline both invites. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do so he isn’t embarrassing the King. But Andrew is pretty thick-skinned and maybe we have to rely on the influence of Fergie.

“Christmas Day is different because the walk to church is so public and the pictures go all round the world. He should take a back seat and just not go.”

Andrew has been pictured in a meeting with an alleged Chinese spy ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)The Duke of York was last week described in court papers as a “close confidante” of a suspected Chinese spy. Named only as H6, the businessman, 50, lost an appeal against a decision to ban him from Britain on national security grounds.

It is the latest scandal to hit the Duke, who withdrew from public life after paying damages to Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, a victim of his US paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.