Royal family fans who knew of the Duke of York’s appearance rushed to comment on social media under the posted photo. User, @petra_reimann1960 wrote: “So Happy to see His Majesty looking well and relaxed and joyful and absolutely delighted to see the Duke of York joining the family. Happy Easter.”
Some fans, however, took to social media to express their frustration over the former working royal’s appearance, even highlighting an issue that Andrew was seemingly “leading” the event.
Taking to X, one fan expressed their frustration, writing: “Andrew remains accused of serious sexual offences and has paid off an accuser he claims he never met with £12m from Charles and the late Queen. He has done everything to avoid cooperating with law enforcement. Yet he is now ‘leading’ the royals at a significant royal event.”
Prince Andrew has always denied these allegations and settled a claim by Virginia Guiffre in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing and stepped down from public life in 2019 after he came under fire for his friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Although not in the official social media pictures, Fergie, 64, beamed as she waved to crowds on Easter Sunday as she stood beside her ex-husband as they attended the service together at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
The Duke of York no longer carries out royal duties as he is not a working royal, however as the King’s brother he is allowed to attend private family events. The duke also caused a stir last month after he attended the late King of Greece Constantine’s memorial service.
The past few months have seen Fergie invited back into the royal fold, having joined the Firm for the Christmas walkabout last year and at the end of February she also attended the thanksgiving memorial service.
The King’s attendance at church will be seen as a move to reassure the public he is feeling better, and amid after the shock news about his daughter-in-law’s recent cancer diagnosis.
Fergie has also faced her own cancer battles, having been diagnosed with skin cancer this year after facing breast cancer last summer.
The Prince and Princess of Wales missed the service as Kate continues her own battle against cancer undergoing preventative chemotherapy. The family are spending the Easter holidays together as they adjust to Kate’s diagnosis, which was discovered in post-operative tests after major abdominal surgery in January.
