Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has been banned from participating in the public procession at the annual Order of the Garter Day ceremony at Windsor Castle for the third year in a row. The decision to exclude the prince from the grand affair, which sees members of the Order don their distinctive velvet robes, glistening insignia, and plumed hats, is seen as a deliberate move by King Charles and Prince William to limit Andrew’s public-facing appearances.

According to a source who spoke to the Daily Express, “He won’t be there. There’s a precedent in place now and they don’t want to give him a platform.” Despite being a Garter Knight since 2006, Prince Andrew’s status as a non-working member of the Royal Family has led to his exclusion from the public aspect of the event.

The Order of the Garter Day, set to take place on Monday, June 17, just two days after the Trooping the Colour ceremony, is one of the most hallowed events in the royal calendar. The King and Queen will lead the procession, which involves Ladies and Knights of the Order of the Garter – the country’s oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry – making their way from the Berkshire castle’s State Apartments to St George’s Chapel, watched by crowds of onlookers.

While Prince Andrew is expected to attend the private events of the day, such as the investiture and the lunch, his absence from the public procession is seen as a deliberate attempt to avoid a potential public backlash. In February, the Duke of York sparked controversy when he appeared to lead members of the Royal Family to a memorial service at Windsor Castle, prompting concerns about his public visibility.

Prince Andrew stepped down as a working member of the Royal Family in 2019 due to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations that he had sex with Virginia Roberts Giuffre when she was 17, which he has vehemently and repeatedly denied. In January 2022, the prince’s military titles and royal patronages were returned to the Queen, and he was stripped of his HRH status. A month later, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Ms. Giuffre, making no admission of responsibility.

The decision to keep Prince Andrew away from the public aspect of the Order of the Garter Day ceremony is seen as part of a wider effort by the Royal Family to manage the prince’s public image and minimize potential controversy. The event will feature the installation of new Companions of the Order, including composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who has been made a Knight Companion, as well as the Duchess of Gloucester, who will be invested as a Royal Lady of the Garter.

Other notable investitures include Lord Kakkar, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London, and Air Chief Marshal the Lord Peach, both of whom have been made Knight Companions. The ceremony will also see the King, Queen, and members of the Royal Family depart by carriage and return to the castle following the service.

The Princess of Wales, who recently made her first public appearance of the year at the Trooping the Colour ceremony following her cancer diagnosis, will not be attending the Order of the Garter Day events. In a statement, Kate expressed her hope to join a few public engagements over the summer but acknowledged that she is “not out of the woods yet” in terms of her health.

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaBhw6v1SWt9fkewC60T