Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is not having a good week. King Charles has taken Andrew's Garter robes away from him, according to reports. The disgraced former duke of York faced a tough day yesterday, as he was excluded from the Garter Day service for the first time in almost 20 years.
Exclusion from Garter Day
Though Andrew has been banned from public-facing events since 2022, he had been permitted to attend private events at Windsor Castle. However, the King's brother was removed as a Knight of the Order of the Garter last year, when Charles stripped him of his remaining royal titles. This saw his banner of arms removed from inside St George's Chapel and cemented his exclusion from the setpiece royal event.
It appears Andrew's humiliation has gone one step further, as the Daily Mail's Ephraim Hardcastle has revealed the King asked for his brother to hand back his Garter robes. The elaborate blue velvet ceremonial robes, which he controversially wore to the King's Coronation in 2023, have been handed to another member of the Order, the journalist reports.
Another Hammer Blow
Taking the lavish robes away from Andrew will come as another hammer blow to the disgraced former prince, who is understood to have struggled with having to stay away from the event yesterday. A source told the Daily Express that this weekend has been really hard for Andrew. He has become used to watching his family celebrate Trooping without him, but Garter Day will be a really tough day for him. It is one of those days that reminds him of all that he has lost. He is feeling more isolated than ever; he is completely alone.
Garter Day has long been a day Andrew has held dear, as it proved to be a symbolic reminder of his status, even after he was stripped of his HRH title and forced to step down as a senior working royal in 2019. And though he has kept away from the public aspects of the day for the past four years, he revelled in his inclusion in the investiture and private lunch. Andrew was appointed to the Order of the Garter by his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 2006.
