Prince Andrew will not be in attendance when President Trump and first lady Melania Trump return to Buckingham Palace next week.
The Duke of York, who was present for Trump’s state visit in June, has stepped back from his public duties and was booted from his offices in the palace amid intense scrutiny over his relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who hung himself in his jail cell in August.
The prince was left off the guest list released by Buckingham Palace earlier this week for a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II for NATO leaders. NATO members, including Trump, are attending a summit in London on Tuesday.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, will be in attendance. Kate’s husband, Prince William, will be in the Middle East during the summit.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have taken a leave of absence from their royal duties over the holidays and will miss the event.
The Duke of York denied in a heavily criticized interview that Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre was forced to have sex with him when she was underage. Andrew said he had “no recollection of ever meeting” Giuffre and denied having sex with her, though a photo shows him with his arm around her waist.
