Downcast Andrew breaks cover on birthday as he's snubbed by Royal Family
A downcast Prince Andrew has broken cover on his birthday after being snubbed by the Royal Family.
The Duke of York, who turns 64 today, was spotted driving in his car around the Windsor estate where he lives, before enjoying a horse ride with a companion. He appeared downcast as he was snapped behind the wheel of his vehicle and while embarking on his exercise. Despite celebrating turning another year older, there were no public birthday wishes for Andrew via any of the official Royal Family media channels. Usually, when a royal celebrates their birthday, it is marked on the official Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Andrew did not receive any public birthday wishes from his royal relatives (Jim Bennett)However, there was no mention of Andrew's birthday today as he is no longer a working royal, unlike his older sister Princess Anne and younger brother Prince Edward. The disgraced duke was forced to step down from public life following a car crash interview on BBC Newsnight about his connections to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He was also later stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages with the approval of his mother, the late Queen.
However, he still remains in the line of succession and is one of several royals named as counsellors of state. Earlier this month, Andrew was personally told of King Charles' cancer diagnosis and later Buckingham Palace confirmed a number of the King's forthcoming public engagements will have to be rearranged or postponed as he has started treatment straight away, with the likes of Prince William and Queen Camilla poised to pick up the slack.
Andrew was also spotted out horse riding (Jim Bennett)It is not anticipated that Counsellors of State, those who are able to fill in for the King on constitutional matters, will need to be appointed. However, in the event a monarch cannot undertake their duties as sovereign on a temporary basis due to illness, two or more Counsellors of State can be appointed by Letters Patent to act in their place.
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Provisions for Counsellors of State are made under the Regency Acts 1937 to 1953 and those who can currently stand in for Charles include Queen Camilla and the four most senior adults in the line of succession over the age of 21 - William, Prince Harry, Andrew and his daughter Princess Beatrice. In 2022, the King asked Parliament to add his youngest brother Edward and sister Anne as extra Counsellors of State so they could deputise for him if need be, and the addition was fast-tracked into law.
The legislation did add Anne and Edward to the list but stopped short of removing Andrew and Harry, who are no longer working members of the family. However, the House of Lords later heard only "working members" of the royal family would be called upon to act as Counsellors of State - so this means Andrew would not be asked to step up.
At the same time as the Kings' cancer diagnosis, Andrew's former wife Sarah Ferguson, who lives with him at Royal Lodge, is also getting treatment for skin cancer. The disease was discovered after several moles were removed when she was treated for breast cancer in June. One of the moles was found to be cancerous and doctors are working to establish if it was caught early.
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