Prince Andrew sidelined at traditional ceremony after 'family decision'
London: Queen Elizabeth II's second son, Prince Andrew, who has been linked to convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein, did not take part in a traditional ceremony, after a "family decision", Buckingham Palace said.
The prestigious Garter Day procession in Windsor was attended by the Queen's eldest son and heir Prince Charles, his wife Camilla, as well as his eldest son Prince William and his wife Catherine.
The 96-year-old Queen, herself, could not attend the ceremony due to mobility issues but did attend the lunch and the investiture ceremony.
Garter Day procession was established by King Edward III nearly 700 years ago.
Prince Andrew was presented at a private lunch and ceremony investing new members of the Order of the Garter, Buckingham Palace said.
In August 2021, US sex trafficking survivor Virginia Giuffre filed a civil case in New York against Prince Andrew accusing him of sexual assault when she was 17 years old. She alleged that she was trafficked by Epstein to the UK and was subjected to sex abuse from 2000 to 2002, starting at age 16.
Though Prince Andrew claimed never to have met her, he settled the case in the US court.
In an attempt to limit the reputational damage to the British monarchy, he was stripped of his honorary military titles and sidelined his frontline royal role.
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