Prince Andrew makes shock appearance at royal Easter service after 'spy' scandal

The Queen have led the Royal Family at the annual Easter Sunday church service - with the Prince and skipping the event. Charles and joined by the likes of Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as they made their way to St George's Chapel in Windsor for the traditional ceremony.

Also joining were Prince Andrew and Ferige, who missed the royals' celebrations at Sandringham after the disgraced Duke of York stepped away following his involvement in a recent scandal involving an alleged Chinese spy. The decision was reportedly made to avoid causing further embarrassment for the King and the monarchy.

Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson arrived first by car with Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Fergie stopped to wave to the public and stayed outside chatting while the Duke of York made a beeline inside.

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Other senior royals then arrived on foot, led by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their son James, Earl of Wessex. The York daughters joined them, with Princess Eugenie wearing a striking white coat and matching hat as she walked beside her husband Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie, who gave birth prematurely in January, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Andrew then rejoined the fold as the royals waited for the king and Queen to arrive.

They all then headed inside for the hour-long Easter Mattins Service, which featured hymns Te Deum Laudamus, Abbot’s Leigh and Maccabaeus as well as readings of the First and Second Lesson. The service concluded with The Blessing and a rousing rendition of the National Anthem.

After the service, the King wished the public "a very Happy Easter" as he left St George’s Chapel via the Deanery on Sunday afternoon, having spent half an hour having tea with the Dean of Windsor. Camilla, who was wearing a pale blue embroidered dress and matching hat, was given a posy from a young girl and told her: "Happy Easter, thank you so much!"

She bent down to chat to the youngster and a young boy before the royal couple walked over to greet the cheering crowd. The Queen, clutching the bouquet of flowers, shook several hands and said: "How nice to see you, Happy Easter." When one well-wisher handed her a card, she said: "Thank you very much."

Several steps ahead of her, the King also greeted members of the public and as he headed back to his waiting car, he told them: “Have a very Happy Easter.” One woman shouted out in response: "Happy Easter, Sir!"

Moments later, the York sisters emerged from the Deanery with their husbands, followed by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their son. Anne, who appeared to be using a large umbrella as a walking aide, went to a waiting car with her husband.

The Duke and Duchess of York were the last to leave, with Fergie smiling and waving to the cameras while Andrew made a hasty retreat to join his brother and sister in law on the short walk up the hill towards the Castle. Anne got straight into a car, while Andrew was also wished a "Happy Easter" by a member of the crowd, and he glanced at them before walking off with Sarah, Duchess of York.

Andrew has not been pictured at a formal event since last Easter. He had disappeared from public life after stepping down from official duties. He stepped down from public life after criticism over his friendship with convicted sex offender .

It followed his Newsnight interview in 2019 when he said he “did not regret” his friendship with Epstein, who had trafficked Ms Giuffre, and was heavily criticised for failing to show sympathy with the sex offender’s victims. The duke announced at the time he would be “stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future” and disappeared from a string of high-profile national events involving the monarchy.

Meanwhile, with their children at their country home in Norfolk. The revealed last week that the Prince of Wales told the King of his intention to miss the annual gathering to "enjoy some extended time as a family over Easter", a source said.

"They are choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school", the source added. The Waleses did not attend the service last year as it was only weeks after the princess was diagnosed with cancer.

William and Kate recently returned from a skiing holiday with their three children, , 11, , nine and , six. The family enjoyed a week in the French Alps with pictures of their family break appearing in a French magazine, prompting the wrath of Kensington Palace.

The family in February enjoyed a half term break on the exclusive island of Mustique in the Caribbean, while William and Kate also separately jetted off on a skiing holiday at the end of December, again in France, with Kate’s brother James and his wife, Alizée. It has been an extraordinary year for the monarchy after both the King and his daughter-in-law Kate were diagnosed with cancer within days of each other.

The future queen underwent six months of preventative chemotherapy, later speaking in September of her relief on finishing her course of treatment. In an emotional video, featuring husband William, their three children and her parents, Kate, 43, said the year had been "incredibly tough" and "that life as you know it can change in an instant".

Meanwhile, last week, the Queen paid tribute to the King's sense of duty saying he "loves his work" and wants to do "more and more and more" as he gets better. Camilla said Charles, 76, who is receiving ongoing treatment for cancer, was 'driven' by helping others and indicated his cancer journey was one of 'recovery'.

Last month, the King experienced temporary side effects following treatment at the London Clinic, which required a short period of hospital observation that day. Charles’s Easter Sunday appearance last year was his first major public one following his cancer diagnosis. He was applauded by the crowds as he greeted well-wishers who urged him to 'keep going strong'.

At , the King thanked a wellwisher who told him he looked in good health, joking: "You are very kind, it’s all mirrors." It came as Charles was joined by the Queen for the traditional Maundy Thursday service at Durham Cathedral, a key date in the royal calendar. He gave Maundy money to 76 men and 76 women – one for every year of his age – in thanks for their Christian service to their communities.