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It would be cheek and impudence on my part to instruct the head of the Church of England about the True Meaning of Christmas but when has that ever stopped a journalist? I have in mind the news all over the papers that the Duke of York is being “urged to stay out of sight for Christmas”. That is, the carefully planted stories are saying, he should do the decent thing and miss the Buckingham Palace Christmas lunch for 50 on Thursday and stay away from the Sandringham Church Christmas Day service. Poor Prince Andrew; demoted to, as The Sun puts it, “The Banned Old Duke of York”.
It is inconceivable that this stuff would be in circulation without someone in the Royal Household putting it out there. Consider how it’s being framed: “One source close to the King said Charles would be reluctant to ban his brother outright. But he might have to rely on courtiers diplomatically ‘advising; him.” Well, it would take someone even dimmer than Prince Andrew not to grasp what he’s being invited to do, viz, cancel himself for Christmas. But in case he hasn’t twigged, here comes Ingrid Seward of Majesty magazine to spell it out: “Andrew should take it on himself and decline both invites. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do so he isn't embarrassing the King … Christmas Day is different because the walk to church is so public and the pictures go all round the world. He should take a back seat and just not go”.
