Prince Andrew was seen smiling as he rode a horse on the Royal Estate in Windsor on Wednesday morning
(Picture: REUTERS)Prince Andrew has been seen smiling as he rode a horse on the Royal Estate in Windsor on Wednesday morning.
It comes just a day before the beginning of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, though it is not known whether the Duke of York will take part in any events.
Prince Andrew stepped down from public life and he settled in a case of alleged sexual assault brought against him in a civil court by Virginia Giuffre. He denied any wrongdoing.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has suggested Prince Andrew is “seeking to make amends” as he urged the nation to be more forgiving.
Asked by ITV how the public should respond to Andrew after his appearance at the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service, Mr Welby said: “At a big public occasion the Queen is fully entitled to have one of her children supporting her.
“Secondly, forgiveness really does matter. I think we have become a very, very unforgiving society. There’s a difference between consequences and forgiveness.
“I think for all of us, one of the ways that we celebrate when we come together is in learning to be a more open and forgiving society. Now, with Prince Andrew, I think we all have to step back a bit. He’s seeking to make amends and I think that’s a very good thing.”
But he added: “You can’t tell people how they’re to respond about this. And the issues of the past in the area of abuse are so intensely personal and private for so many people. It’s not surprising there’s very deep feelings indeed.”
In a statement, the Archbishop later said the issues around Andrew were “complex” and “difficult to address in a short media interview”.
Prince Andrew took a central role in escorting his mother to Philip’s memorial service in March – though his appearance came as a surprise change to the planned arrangements.
The move was taken as a sign of the monarch’s support for her son.
