Prince Andrew suffers fresh setback as duke 'not invited' to Princess Anne event
WATCH NOW: ‘Final nail in the coffin’ for Prince Andrew
GB News
Prince Andrew faced another significant snub last week after being excluded from a Windsor Castle dinner honouring his former school, despite living just miles away on the royal estate.
The Duke of York was not invited to the gathering at Windsor Castle last Thursday, which celebrated Gordonstoun school where he was once a pupil.
The dinner was hosted by his sister Princess Anne in her role as Warden for the prestigious Scottish institution, which Andrew attended alongside his brothers King Charles and Prince Edward.
A royal source told the Mail that Andrew was not present at the exclusive gathering.
Prince Andrew suffers fresh setback as duke 'not invited' to Princess Anne event
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"In her role as Warden for Gordonstoun, Her Royal Highness held an intimate evening dinner attended by a small number of guests," a Gordonstoun spokesperson said.
While Princess Anne did not attend the £61,440-a-year school near Elgin in Moray herself, as it only became co-educational in 1972, she maintains close ties to the institution.
Anne's two children - Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall - were educated at Gordonstoun.
"I'm sure the duke would have loved to have attended the dinner if he had been invited," a friend of Andrew's told the publication.
Gordonstoun School was attended by Prince Philip, King Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward
PA
The snub was likely particularly painful given Andrew's long history with the school, having followed in the footsteps of his brothers as a Gordonstoun pupil.
A photograph from his first day shows a 13-year-old Andrew arriving with his father Prince Philip, who was himself one of Gordonstoun's first pupils.
The school has educated two generations of British royalty and counts musician David Bowie's son Duncan Jones and Sean Connery's son Jason among its alumni.
The dinner comes as Gordonstoun, like other private schools, faces new financial pressures.
Prince Andrew on his first day at Gordonstoun in 1973 alongside Prince Philip
PA
The Government ended the VAT exemption for private schools at the start of this month, adding 20 per cent to many parents' bills.
The prestigious institution currently charges £61,440 per year for attendance.
Andrew stepped back from royal duties following his disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019, where he was questioned about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall both attended the school
PA
The duke became embroiled in fresh controversy last month over his connections to a Chinese businessman and alleged spy.
Yang Tengbo, who was given permission to act on Andrew's behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, was later barred from the UK in 2023 for alleged "covert and deceptive activity" on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.
The alleged spy had been instrumental in developing Gordonstoun's campuses in China, though the school cut ties with his firm after his identity became public.
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