Andrew was on the church walkabout this morning

[meh2022]

I was surprised (and not in a good way) to see Andrew join the rest of the royal family at the Christmas service at Sandringham church this morning. He even shook hands with at least one member of the crowd. Surely he should be kept away from the public if the royal family have any desire whatsoever to keep the monarchy going? What is Charles thinking in allowing him to join them?!

No idea , but it’s a sign that they don’t care

I suppose he's still part of the family, as much as many dislike him. Going to church is a personal thing for them, not an official engagement as far as I know. And as grim as he may be, he's never been convicted of anything. I don't think it's reasonable to expect him to stay behind closed doors forever.

I know it’s technically not an official engagement, but the route to the service is always lined by wellwishers and the pictures always appear in the press. Surely they must know that from a PR point of view, the optics are dreadful! Like @Samcro said, I can only conclude that they just don’t care.

I am not sure how they would actually prohibit him from doing so.

Going to church from Sandringham is a private family occasion. Andrew hasn't ceased to exist. He's still father to his daughters and is part of their family. That member of the public didn't need to shake his hand, I imagine it was their choice.

If he'd been at Buckingham Palace that would be different. I hope he won't be at the coronation either but it's pretty unrealistic for him not to see his own family at Christmas.

Are you saying he shouldn't be allowed to go to church?

Don't be ridiculous.

He hasnt been convicted of anything - you cant ban him from going to church! I dont agree the optics are dreadful. Try and ban an unconvicted man from going to church if he wants to... THAT would be a pretty dreadful optic

If their attendance at church on Christmas morning is a personal event then I can't see how or why he should be stopped from attending with his family.

I'm surprised he stopped to shake hands with well-wishers and even more surprised anyone would want to be anywhere near him.

It is an official engagement. They include it in the Court Circular and count it as "work". So Andrew took part in a Royal Family public engagement.

And you want to pretend it is a personal family event? Then stop claiming it as part of your 100 public engagements a year then.

The Royals just don’t care about his victim, the public… hell, even their own relatives.

He hasn't been convicted of anything and you cannot ban someone from church.

Hes with his family on Christmas day is that not allowed by the court of public opinion?

He went to the early service too- that should have been enough. He either doesn't know how strongly many people feel about him or he doesn't care.

Princess Anne wasn't there which is very unusual.

No one is banning him from church. What was he doing though shaking hands with the public!!

He doesn't care. He keeps trying to edge his way back into public service i.e. being a guest at top golf clubs and dinners.

Where is this written? All the news reports I have seen call it a “family tradition” not a “royal duty”?

It is included in the Court Circular so it is counted as "work". It will be added here in a few days time.
www.royal.uk/court-circular

Lots of things are counted as work e.g. the Queen's funeral, attendance at cousin's funerals.

The King is Supreme Governor of The Church of England. It would be supremely un-Christian to deny a man the opportunity to go to church, with his family, on Christmas Day.
This was not a "work event", and celebrating the birth of Christ should also remind us of His teaching of the importance of forgiveness.

Unreal. How lazy are these leeches?😡

Man who got away with raping a sex trafficked teenager because his family is rich and powerful, went to a church work event.

I don't think they can keep him away from church though. Everybody is welcome and all that. If the man had any sense of deceny or self awareness, he would have kept away but his brother banning him from church would have caused issues too.

It is not really a work event either. A family goes to a church service on Christmas day and lots of members of the public turn up to watch them wander up the path and through the front door