Prince Andrew Withdraws from Royal Christmas Lunch

Prince Andrew has opted out of the royal family's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace due to ongoing scrutiny regarding his ties to alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo. Following a conversation with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Andrew decided to avoid the event to spare King Charles III further embarrassment amid the scandal. Initially, he expressed a desire to attend the festive gathering with over 70 royals, but ultimately chose to stay away, also declining to join the family at Sandringham for Christmas. The decision comes after revelations about Yang, who had been a close confidant of Andrew and was branded a national security risk by the British government. Andrew has stated that he ceased contact with Yang when concerns were raised, but the media frenzy surrounding their association continues. This marks a significant shift from last year, when Andrew and Sarah were welcomed back to royal festivities after a long absence.