The Duke of York will attend his father Prince Philip’s memorial service at Westminster Abbey on March 29, according to the Press Association.
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It will be Prince Andrew’s first public appearance since the out-of-court settlement – revealed in court documents in mid-February – was made with his accuser Virginia Giuffre.
Who will attend the memorial service?
It is anticipated that many members of the Royal Family, including the Queen who is reportedly ‘pacing her royal duties’ due to mobility issues, will attend the service next week.
Senior royals expected to attend include Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
It was confirmed earlier this month that the Duke of Sussex will not return to the UK for the occasion, as he ‘does not feel safe’ visiting the UK without police protection. A spokesperson said that 'he hopes to visit his grandmother soon'.
Other guests include the Queen's grandchildren, who are not working royals, and their spouses, including Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, and Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall, as well as Peter Philips.
European royals confirmed to attend the service include:
- King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain
- Princess Beatrix, King Willem-Alexander, and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium
- Queen Margrethe of Denmark
- King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway
- King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
- Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania and Prince Radu
It is also anticipated that Prince Philip's surviving family members from Germanywill attend, such as Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden; Donatus, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse; and Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
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⋙ Prince Andrew: What's next for him now the sexual assault case is closed?
⋙ Prince Harry won't attend Prince Philip's memorial but will attend another public event in Europe
Prince Andrew's first public appearance
Andrew stepped down from royal duties in November 2019. In January, the Queen stripped him of his honorary military titles and royal patronages, and he also stopped using his HRH style. He has stayed out of the public eye since then, though he did attend Philip’s funeral in April 2021.
It’s thought that the decision around Andrew's attendance would be based on whether the Queen considers the Service of Thanksgiving a family event or an official engagement. It would also depend on how worried she and royal aides are that Andrew's presence might distract from the proceedings.
The memorial service marks an opportunity for a larger celebration of the Duke of Edinburgh’s life, after his funeral last year was restricted to only 30 mourners due to coronavirus restrictions.
