King Charles and Prince William managed to avoid an awkward reunion with the former Duke of York today as they did not attend the christening of Beatrice’s daughter.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor attended the service for Athena, the second daughter of the princess, 37, and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 42, at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace alongside Sarah Ferguson.
The disgraced royal, 65, made the rare return to public life following a string of scandals in recent months, which saw him stripped of his royal titles and privileges and ended in he and his ex-wife, 66, agreeing to move out of Windsor’s Royal Lodge.
But while Princess Beatrice and her property developer husband rolled out the red carpet for sister Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, as well as celebrities such as James Blunt, there were some notable absences.
The service for Athena, who was born several weeks prematurely in January, took place behind closed doors and was attended by European royals including Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark, 38, who is the youngster’s godmother.
King Charles III, meanwhile, along with his wife Queen Camilla, were not in attendance – although he did not have any official engagements listed for today.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children were also absent. Two of their children, Prince George and Prince Louis, were christened at the same chapel while their sister, Princess Charlotte, had her service at a church in Sandringham.
It comes as Democratic lawmakers in the US released new photographs from the estate of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein this afternoon, including a snap of Andrew with billionaire Bill Gates.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank were earlier seen arriving at Clarence House for the event, while singer Blunt, who is a long-time friend of Beatrice, was also pictured arriving at the royal palace this morning.
Among the family members missing the event was Princess Anne, who was unable to be present due to a scheduled visit to The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Sovereign’s Parade at Camberley, in Berkshire.
Meanwhile Beatrice’s cousin Zara Tindall also didn’t attend and was instead at the first day of the Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham.
After the christening, Beatrice and Edoardo headed to the pub with family and friends.
They were spotted exiting a cab in Marylebone while appearing to balance a celebratory cake alongside Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack.
Andrew and Fergie did not join the rest of the family and instead resumed their retreat from royal life.
Today marked the first time the former Duke and Duchess of York have stepped inside a royal palace since they were stripped of their titles after fresh revelations about their relationships with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Earlier this week a source told the Mail on Sunday: ‘It’s going to be a royal occasion but everyone is dreading the thought of seeing Andrew there.’
Beatrice is said to have remained close to her mother Sarah during the turbulence of the Epstein saga, but relations with her father are understood to be more strained.
An insider said: ‘Beatrice has, of course invited her father. But things are not warm between them. However, she’s worried about him.
‘He’s going through a low ebb with his mental health and she recognises that he dotes on his grandchildren and it would be cruel to deprive him of the chance to attend the christening.
‘Some careful conversations and diplomacy with King Charles will have taken place to get to this stage.’
Andrew was stripped of all his royal titles in October after a leaked email published by the MoS proved he lied in his interview with BBC’s Newsnight when he claimed he ‘never had any contact’ with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after they were pictured together in New York in December 2010.
Further emails revealed Sarah Ferguson had also had contact with the convicted paedophile into 2011, calling him a ‘supreme friend’ in an email and appearing to distance herself from public criticism of Epstein.
If the couple were hoping their absence from royal life might put an end to the scrutiny, today’s release of 19 new photographs from Epstein’s estate will be a new blow.
It is thought Athena would have been christened earlier this year, had it not been for the painful scandal engulfing her grandparents. Her sister Sienna, now four, was baptised in 2022 within six months of her birth.
Andrew will not appear in any official photographs from the christening and will avoid cameras outside the chapel.
Looking ahead to the royal family’s Christmas celebrations, he has not been invited to join them at St Mary Magdalene Church for their traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham.
Both Beatrice and Eugenie have been invited, and are both expected to attend.
A source said: ‘Beatrice is determined to keep the focus entirely on her daughter, but there is no escaping the moment’s significance as this will be the former Duke and Duchess of York’s first appearance at a Royal Family event and possibly the last time he steps foot in St James’s Chapel.’
Speaking about the birth of Athena, who was born on January 22, the Princess said premature births can be ‘very lonely’.
Athena arrived weighing just 4ib 5oz when she was delivered at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
‘I think so often, especially as mums, we spend our lives feeling we have to be perfect,’ Beatrice told the special edition of the Borne Podcast.
‘When you are faced with that moment of learning your baby’s going to come a bit early, it can be incredibly lonely.
‘And even now, talking to some of the mums who know about my work with Borne, they feel this sense of life-changing relief that can come with knowing that there is an organisation that is supporting the research… and asking some of these important questions.’
Beatrice was due to give birth to her second daughter in early spring, but in December received medical advice not to travel long distances, with doctors said to have warned that a premature arrival was a possibility.
Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have been contacted for comment.
