In contrast to past years, when the former couple would send out cheerful joint Christmas cards, Andrew reportedly sent none this time. “There’s no sign that Andrew has sent any cards to the royals himself,” one aide claimed, adding that he has “withdrawn completely from public-facing correspondence, leaving Sarah to maintain a family-friendly front.”
Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, spent Christmas at Sandringham with King Charles and the wider Royal Family. Biographer Robert Jobson noted that their attendance was likely a matter of protocol rather than preference.
“They would say, ‘I’m a royal princess. I’m in line to the throne. I have been invited to attend the King’s Christmas celebrations, and you don’t turn down the King’s invitation.’”
“It’s not an invitation – it’s a command, really,” he added.
A difficult adjustment
Sources describe Andrew as struggling to adjust to his diminished status. One insider alleged he has been spending long hours alone at Royal Lodge, playing military video games and “muttering and ranting to himself.” “He’s finding it hard to accept the loss of his status,” the source said.