Prince Andrew quietly reappeared in public on Thursday, December 12, for a significant family occasion after months out of sight. The 65-year-old was seen arriving at the Chapel Royal inside St James’s Palace in London, entering through a side gate after pulling up in a Range Rover. The appearance marked his first known public engagement since King Charles III formally removed his remaining honours and titles and instructed him to vacate Royal Lodge, where Andrew had lived for two decades.
Buckingham Palace previously confirmed that the decision was taken following what it described as Andrew’s serious lapses in judgment, specifically relating to his continued association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The move followed renewed scrutiny sparked by the posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she had been trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was underage. Andrew has consistently denied all allegations.