Prince Andrew at 60: Isolated, Shunned, and Abandoned by Own Siblings?
Prince Andrew was not alone on his 60th birthday. However, while there was a party to celebrate this milestone, three of his siblings and other members of the royal family were notably absent on the celebration.
According to reports, it seems as if the rest of the royal family snubbed Prince Andrew on his own birthday celebration.
What's There to Celebrate?
The royals have been very careful in dealing with the Duke of York for very good reasons. His ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has put the royal family in the middle of controversy it could not survive.
The plans for his 60th birthday celebration have long been troubled, with the Queen herself canceling the plans they earlier made for a lavish party for his son's milestone. According to an insider, the last-minute invitations that were sent out were made to make up for friends who were initially invited to the party but declined to attend.
The private dinner was low-key with at least 50 guests, according to the report of The Daily Mail. Sadly, none of the senior royals were able to attend. Even Prince Andrew's brothers and sisters did not attend his 60th birthday celebration.
His older brother and heir to the throne, Prince Charles, was notably absent from the celebration. His younger brother Prince Edward and sister Princess Anne were not able to make it to the party as well, according to the report by Daily Mail columnist Sebastian Shakespeare.
Were the Queen and Prince Philipp there? There is no news about how the elder royals marked the occasion, but their post earlier that day drew some flack. The Queen, through her social media account, posted a baby photo of Prince Andrew to mark the occasion.
Like any mother, Queen Elizabeth II was happy to see her child grow up and reach this milestone.
Who's Who at the Royal Occasion?
"None of the royals were there, but it was a wonderful party," one guest insisted. The same guest added that there was still a good range of people at the party.
According to the Daily Mail report, some of the people in attendance included Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, actor Sir John Standing and racing heir Guy Sangster.
China's ambassador to the U.K., Liu Xiaoming also attended the party held at the Royal Lodge, the Windsor residence Prince Andrew shared with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
After dinner, the report said that the party ended with a few games. As Shakespeare described it, the games were the kind that the royal family favored. They were high spirits of sorts that have become a family practice for generations.
The absence of the members of the royal family says a lot about the stature of Prince Andrew within his own clan. And although their busy schedules could be a very good reason for their absence, everyone is fully aware that Prince Andrew might very well be alone.
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all allegations of his wrongdoing or his connection to the activities of the late Jeffrey Epstein. The FBI continues to seek the royal's approval for an interview to establish further his relations to the works and practices of the late pedophile.
