Buckingham Palace has issued a revealing update about Prince Andrew’s role in this year’s Order of the Garter ceremony, confirming his attendance at a private luncheon despite being excluded from the public procession for the fourth consecutive year.
According to Marie Claire, royal sources claim that King Charles has reached a “special agreement” with his younger brother, allowing him to remain part of the event’s more discreet elements while staying out of the public spotlight.
The Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is Britain’s oldest and most prestigious Order of Chivalry. It is marked each year with a formal procession and service held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. While senior royals participate in the full day of events, Prince Andrew’s presence has remained limited due to his ongoing withdrawal from public royal duties.
Despite his exclusion from the ceremonial procession, the Court Circular, published on the royal family’s official website, revealed that Prince Andrew attended the Luncheon Party hosted by the King and Queen. “16 June 2025, Windsor Castle: The King and Queen gave a Luncheon Party for the Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter at which The Prince of Wales,
The Duke of York (Prince Andrew), The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent were present,” the statement read.
The Palace also released official photographs showing King Charles and Queen Camilla alongside other senior royals participating in the Garter Day events. However, Prince Andrew was notably absent from those images and the public-facing portions of the day.
A royal insider told the Daily Express, as reported by Marie Claire, that “he won’t participate in the procession, but he has been invited to the lunch and investiture.” This partial participation appears to be the result of a delicate compromise within the family.
The source added that Prince Andrew’s “inclusion in the private aspects is seen as a compromise by both sides,” reflecting efforts to balance his personal connection to the Order with his diminished public role.
This nuanced approach comes as King Charles navigates a modernized monarchy, preserving traditions while managing the reputations of family members who have faced controversy. For Prince Andrew, his role in royal events remains limited to behind-the-scenes appearances—quietly present but firmly removed from public view.