Significant royal rule allows Andrew to attend memorial after William pulled out
Members of the Royal Family have gathered to pay their respects to the former King Constantine of Greece at a memorial service at Windsor Castle today - including Prince Andrew.
As King Charles is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, he was unable to attend the memorial for his second cousin and close friend, who died last year. His son Prince William also pulled out of the event.
William, who was due to give a reading at his godfather's memorial service, could no longer attend because of a "personal matter". The exact nature of the issue has not been shared publicly, though it is understood not to be in relation to the Princess of Wales' continued recovery at home in Windsor from abdominal surgery last month.
However, Prince Andrew was still in attendance and was filmed leading the Royal Family into the service, despite retiring from public life back in 2019 and having his royal patronages and honorary military titles removed by the late Queen in 2022.
Prince Andrew with his older brother King Charles (Getty Images)The disgraced royal is still a Counsellor of State, which means he can technically fill in for the King on certain constitutional matters if he is abroad or unwell. However, only "working members" of the royal family will be called upon to act as Counsellors of State - ruling Prince Andrew and Prince Harry out of the list. Instead, Princess Anne and Edward can be called upon to take their places
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But his attendance at King Constantine's memorial service is a different matter entirely. The Sun's royal correspondent Matt Wilkinson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that "it is understood, the Duke of York, is attending as a member of the British Royal Family and was invited by the Greek Royal Family." This invite, and the nature of the memorial, means that Andrew attended in a private capacity because it is not an official public event.
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King Charles' shock cancer diagnosis has seen the rest of the Royal Family step up to fill in for the monarch. 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 picking up the slack.
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.
King Charles with his sons Prince William and Prince HarryProvisions 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, Harry, Andrew and Princess Beatrice. In 2022, the King asked Parliament to add his youngest brother Prince Edward and sister Princess Anne as extra Counsellors of State so they can 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. 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 Harry and Andrew would not be asked to step up.
Other members of the royal family are expected to continue with a full programme of public engagements and may undertake some additional duties on behalf of the King if they are required to do so. Usually, the duty would fall to Prince William in the first instance, who has recently returned to royal duties after the Princess of Wales underwent major abdominal surgery in January. William had taken time off to support his family as Kate recovered first in hospital, then returned home to Windsor to convalesce.
Queen Camilla will also continue with a full programme of public duties while her husband is treated, the Palace said, and attend some that would have been joint with the monarch, solo instead.
Charles, 75, has already begun his medical care as an outpatient under the close supervision of his specialist team of doctors. Buckingham Palace confirmed the King, who only acceded to the throne 17 months ago, does not have prostate cancer, despite having treatment for an enlarged prostate in January.
Further details of his condition have not been disclosed, and the Palace, which announced the news in a statement, asked for privacy and only confirmed it is a "form of cancer". Charles was diagnosed after a "separate issue of concern was noted" and investigated while he was being treated for his benign prostate condition.
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