The Royal Family may have enjoyed Christmas Day together in Sandringham last week, however, this year there were some notable absences from the big day – included a pair who you might not expect.
King Charles and the rest of the royals headed to Norfolk, where they spent the festive period together – like they traditionally do every year – however, the guest list was considerably slimmed down.
The Duke and Duchess of York did not attend the festivities following the latest scandal regarding Prince Andrew’s links to an alleged Chinese spy. His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson is thought to have stayed with Andrew at Royal Lodge.
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex marked yet another Christmas away from the royals, as they spent their holidays in Montecito, California, with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The last time the Sussexes spent Christmas with the royals was in 2018.
According to former royal chef Darren McGrady, the late monarch – Queen Elizabeth II’s – corgis would always be included in the celebrations as they were treated like members of the Royal Family.
The dogs would have their own special Christmas dinner, with up to 12 pooches dining with the Firm.
Following Elizabeth’s death in 2022, two of her surviving corgis were sent to live with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
And the Yorks’s absence this year meant the pooches missed the royal feast too.
Andrew was forced to pull out of the royal festivities this year following the latest scandal.
It was previously revealed in a High Court hearing that alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who was banned from the UK, was said to have been a “close” confidant of the duke.
Mr Yang, who was named after an anonymity order was lifted, has insisted it was “entirely untrue” to claim he was involved in espionage and that he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”.
The businessman, previously referred to only as H6 in the legal case, was the founder-partner of the Chinese arm of the duke’s PitchPalace initiative and twice visited Buckingham Palace in 2018 to meet the late Queen’s second son.
He is also said to have entered St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle at Andrew’s invitation.
Just before Christmas, the duke’s office said Andrew “ceased all contact” with the then-unnamed businessman when concerns were first raised about him.
Andrew met Mr Yang through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement said.