Inside Prince Andrew’s Unwanted Easter Return
Let’s file this under “Of course this happened,” because nothing says “family unity” like inviting your most controversial sibling to church and pretending last year’s headlines never happened. Prince Andrew, stripped of royal duties and patronages in 2022 after his well‑chronicled legal and public relations disasters, still found himself trailing behind King Charles at the Easter Sunday service on April 9, 2023. According to People magazine, Andrew appeared at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, walking behind his brother and sister‑in‑law, Queen Camilla, amid the usual procession of royals. The event marked his first major public outing with a senior royal since relinquishing his “His Royal Highness” style and title for official business. The Scottish Sun reports that Andrew wasn’t exactly greeted with fanfare—no red carpet, no cushy front‑row seat, just a somber nod of acknowledgment from onlookers who remembered why he’s been sidelined.
For those keeping score, here’s the rundown: In January 2022, Andrew settled his civil lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre over alleged misconduct tied to his late friend Jeffrey Epstein. He later gave up all his military roles and patronages. Yet when Easter rolled around, Buckingham Palace still extended the olive branch of formal invitation—perhaps out of obligation, or maybe because royal protocol has a weird way of sticking to its guns even when logic says otherwise. Sources from The Telegraph hint that Charles didn’t personally campaign for Andrew’s return; instead, senior palace aides quietly ensured family members were all invited to the annual service.
Cue the dark humor: we’ve gone from “working royals” to “working through the public relations fallout,” and now to “Easter pew reconciliation.” Andrew’s presence felt more like a PR stunt than a genuine family gesture, especially since he’s been missing from major events like Trooping the Colour and state visits. His attendance underscored an uncomfortable truth: the Windsors aren’t above ushering scandal‑ridden relatives back into the fold when tradition demands it. It’s like inviting a bad guest to dinner because etiquette says you have to—embarrassing for everyone involved.
The uneasy procession down the aisle, captured by AP News photographers, showed Andrew clad in a dark suit, head bowed, offering nothing more than a stiff wave to the cameras. He sat several rows behind Charles, separated by cousins and godchildren, a physical reminder of his diminished royal rank. As The Independent notes, the optics couldn’t mask the elephant in the chapel: once a frontline royal, he’s now a sidelined figure doing his best impression of a family member nobody wants to talk about.
Brace yourselves: if royal protocol dictates a triumphant return for every fallen prince, what other scandals will get the same treatment? Anyway, can’t wait to see how this gets worse.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, The Scottish Sun, The Telegraph, AP News
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
