Prince Andrew will officially miss another one of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee events after testing positive for COVID-19.
According to royal reporter Omid Scobie, the queen’s 62-year-old son will not attend Friday’s Service of Thanksgiving. “Prince Andrew ‘with regret’ will no longer attend tomorrow’s #PlatinumJubilee service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s after testing positive for Covid,” the tweet read. “The Palace confirm he has seen the Queen ‘in the last few days’ but has not seen her since testing positive.” Andrew’s absence will come after he was not permitted to join the queen and other members of the royal family on the balcony Thursday during Trooping the Colour.
Her Majesty limited the appearance to family members who are currently undertaking public duties on behalf of the queen. The 96-year-old royal was joined on the balcony by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis (who stole the show with a few cheeky moments) – and a few more family members.
Andrew’s absence came after he stepped back from public duties in 2019, following controversy over his relationship with Jeffery Epstein and alleged sexual assault victim Virginia Giuffre, which he has denied.