King Charles will mark Remembrance Sunday today without his brother, the Duke of York, amid the ongoing fallout from Andrew's association with Jeffrey Epstein. According to former royal butler Grant Harrold, who worked for the King at Highgrove House, Charles will 'switch off from his personal dramas' and focus on the solemn occasion.
Harrold noted that the late Queen Elizabeth II enforced a 'three line whip' for the Royal Family on Remembrance Sunday, and the King, who 'loves tradition', considers the Cenotaph appearance 'important to him'. The royals take the event seriously, given their roles as heads of the military and family members who served in the Armed Forces.
Andrew, who served in the Falklands War, has been absent from Remembrance Sunday since stepping back from royal duties. He was recently stripped of his prince title and military affiliations after allegations from Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein, resurfaced. He is also expected to leave his 30-room Royal Lodge for Sandringham, owned by the King.
Harrold told Reach that the King is a professional and will focus on the sacrifice of servicemen and women, not family distractions. He added that the official lunch after the service is unlikely to involve discussion of Andrew, as it would be inappropriate given the occasion. Only very close relatives like Princess Anne or Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh might broach the topic, but even that is unlikely.
