Andrew ‘sneaks in and out’ with Edward and Sophie at first public outing since downfall
The disgraced former Prince has made a rare public appearance.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has made his first public appearance (Image: Getty)
The disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has made his first public outing in months since his downfall. The former prince was spotted cheering on the Duchess of Edinburgh during the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials on the King’s estate on Sunday.
Attendees said he kept a low profile while watching from a distance and left shortly after Sophie’s race in his Land Rover Defender. It is believed that Andrew watched in a quiet area away from the main arena under the cover of trees to show his moral support for Sophie, his sister in law.
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One onlooker told The Sun: “Andrew sneaked in and sneaked out and definitely didn’t want to be seen. But I saw Andrew leave the field at 10.30am, just after Sophie had ridden her round, then I saw Edward walking towards his car smiling shortly afterwards.”
Sophie was taking part in the SanDrivingHam Challenge, which showcase the skill of the driver, groom and passengers across multiple sections.
This includes a ‘Stand Show’, where the judge inspects the cleanliness and the overall impression of the horse, carriage and passengers. They also must complete a figure of eight followed by a set route drive.
Prince Edward, who was wearing an open-necked polo shirt, is also believed to have left shortly after Sophie’s race. The Duchess stayed for the afternoon, wearing a cream jacket, navy blue floral skirt and a straw boater.
Andrew has been largely absent from public life since he was stripped of his royal titles, evicted from his sprawling Royal Lodge home, and subsequently arrested in connection with misconduct in public office. He was not charged and police released him under investigation.
He has been housed up on the Sandringham Estate ever since, and the last time he was captured in public, the former prince was spotted with a bruise on his face. It is thought this was linked to medication, rather than a fall.
His brother Edward was the first royal to visit him when he visited over the Easter weekend.
Andrew has faced several allegations in regards to his connection with former paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In a huge release of files by the US Department of Justice, one photo showed Andrew kneeling over a woman on all fours, who was lying on the floor with her arms flat out beside her. A woman also claimed that Epstein arranged for Andrew to spend a night with her in Windsor in 2010.
Andrew has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. Inclusion in the Epstein files does not indicate any wrongdoing.
