Prince Andrew is back in the royal family spotlight following recent photos with Princess Kate and Prince William. A recent picture showed the Duke of York, along with Prince William and Princess Kate, driving to church together. This image, taken within the past month, indicates a significant shift in Andrew’s public role.
According to insiders, Prince Andrew is expected to be more visible with the royal family moving forward. After a period of estrangement, the Duke of York will no longer be kept at a distance, contrary to King Charles' earlier wishes. A source told The Mirror that, following the royal family's summer vacation, the King suggested that Prince William take Andrew to church in Scotland, which he did.
At 63 years old, Andrew was photographed with Prince William and Princess Kate, signaling his reintegration into royal life. The source mentioned that there was initial uncertainty about Andrew’s transportation to the church, but he received a call early Sunday morning informing him of the arrangement. This development was more than Andrew could have hoped for.
The source added that King Charles has had multiple discussions with his brother and has decided that despite some reservations, Andrew should be welcomed back into the fold. The King, feeling burdened with various responsibilities, wishes to move past previous controversies and focus on the future.
Neither Kensington Palace nor Buckingham Palace have commented on this matter. The move marks a notable change from the royal family's stance in 2022 when Andrew was stripped of his military titles and charitable patronages following a substantial settlement in a sexual assault lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, which Andrew has denied.
Despite no longer holding an official role, Andrew has appeared at notable events like the King's coronation and the Sandringham Christmas walkabout. Although there are current disagreements between the King and Andrew over Andrew's accommodation at Windsor's Royal Lodge, with Charles encouraging him to downsize to cut security costs, it appears that the King remains concerned for his brother’s welfare.
This comes just days before the premiere of the new series *A Very Royal Scandal*, which delves into Prince Andrew’s 2019 Newsnight interview and the allegations related to Jeffrey Epstein. The series is set to debut on Amazon Prime on September 19.
