King Charles has been pictured arriving at a Buckingham Palace event after Princess Kate and Prince Andrew dropped out.
The King, alongside his private secretary Sir Clive Alderton, was photographed arriving for the King’s Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.
This comes shortly after it was confirmed that the Prince and Princess of Wales would not be attending the pre-Christmas lunch.
GB News understands that they look forward to spending time with the family, as usual in Sandringham over Christmas.
King Charles arrives at Buckingham Palace event after Princess Kate and Prince Andrew drop out
PA
Kate and William, both 42, are already in Norfolk, and always planned to be.
In addition, Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will not be present at Buckingham Palace today.
The King’s brother had already withdrawn from joining senior royals at Sandringham for the festive period.
It was previously revealed in a High Court hearing that alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who was banned from the UK, was said to have been a “close” confidant of Andrew.
King Charles is holding the pre-Christmas lunch for several members of the Royal Family
PA
Yang, who was named after an anonymity order was lifted on Monday, has insisted it was “entirely untrue” to claim he was involved in espionage and that he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”.
The businessman, previously referred to only as H6 in the legal case, was the founder-partner of the Chinese arm of the duke’s Pitch@Palace initiative, and twice visited Buckingham Palace in 2018 to meet with the late Queen’s second son.
He is also said to have entered St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle at Andrew’s invitation.
On Friday, the duke’s office said Andrew “ceased all contact” with the then-unnamed businessman when concerns were first raised about him.
Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh were also photographed arriving
PA
The Duchess of Edinburgh wore a polka-dot dress with a cream coat for the festive occasion
PA
Andrew met Yang through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement said.
Accompanying the King to Buckingham Palace today was his younger brother Prince Edward and his wife, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh looked beautiful in a black and white polka-dot dress with a cream coat for the festive occasion.
