The Duke of York has decided not to join the rest of the royal family for a pre-Christmas celebration at Buckingham Palace this week after his connections to an alleged spy continue to make headlines

Prince Andrew has decided not to attend the royal family’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

The beleaguered royal will no longer join some 70 royals for the festive celebration this week amid the ongoing furore over his relationship with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo.

Traditionally, each year the monarch invites extended family for a big festive meal at the Palace. And while the lunch itself is private, guests are photographed going in and out of the palace gates.

But Andrew has decided to stay away from the festivities this year in light of his latest scandal. According to the Daily Mail, it was Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson who advised him to keep a low-profile and stay away from the Palace soiree.

Furthermore, the former couple have decided to remain at their home in Royal Lodge on Christmas Day, rather than travel to Sandringham with the rest of the family, to avoid further embarrassing the King.

Much has changed for Andrew and Sarah in the past 12 months. Last Christmas, along with their two daughters, they were invited to Sandringham for the festive celebrations and took part in the royal family’s traditional morning walk to church.

It was all the more poignant for Sarah given that it was the first time she had been invited since 1991. Many saw it as a return to the royal fold for the 65-year-old.

Despite the latest drama surrounding her ex-husband, Sarah remains incredibly loyal to Andrew. In a new interview with the Times , which took part “before recent revelations about Andrew” but published after the event, she gushed about her love for the Prince.

“I was totally and utterly in love with Andrew. I would do it all over again, 100 per cent. He’s the best, a great man with a great heart, and kind. Our wedding was the best day of my life. But I gave up my anonymity that day. I was able to because love conquers all. It’s still with us today. I won’t let him down. He supports me as much as I support him. He’s supported me through thick and thin, not just marriage or divorce. We agree on the three Cs — communication, compromise, compassion.”

Andrew and Fergie split in 1992, and divorced in 1996, but they still live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The furore over Andrew’s links with the Chinese businessman is the latest controversy to engulf him and put him back on the front pages of newspapers.

The Prince was forced to step back from public duties following his bombshell interview with the BBC about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , which aired in November 2019, just over five years ago.

His mother, the late Queen, then stripped Andrew of his military titles and patronages in January 2022. And more recently, King Charles reportedly cut Prince Andrew’s allowance off this past summer while encouraging him to move out of Royal Lodge into a smaller residence.