Prince Andrew Absent from Royal Christmas Gathering

Prince Andrew has decided not to join the royal family at Sandringham for Christmas amid a scandal involving an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, who was a close confidant of his. This decision, influenced by concerns of further embarrassment to King Charles, sees Andrew opting to spend the holiday with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at their Windsor home instead. Yang, who has been banned from the UK on national security grounds, was previously allowed access to royal properties, raising questions about Andrew's judgment. Despite maintaining that 'nothing of a sensitive nature was ever discussed' with Yang, royal insiders are reportedly relieved by Andrew's absence from the festivities. The King hopes Andrew will recuse himself to protect the monarchy's image, although there are concerns about how to handle his public appearances in the future. This latest controversy adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Andrew's reputation following his previous scandals involving associations with Jeffrey Epstein.