Prince Andrew to walk Princess Beatrice down the aisle amid scandal
Prince Andrew was notably absent at his daughter’s engagement party on Wednesday – but still plans to walk her down the aisle, reports said.
The Duke of York, who stepped back from his royal duties last month amid the scandal surrounding his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, did not attend Princess Beatrice’s engagement party in London late Wednesday.
“This is a devastating blow for the Duke and a sign of just how bad things have got,” a source told The Sun.
“He agreed that he didn’t want to overshadow the event, especially seeing lots of celebrities and high-profile people will be there and it could have put them in a difficult position.”
However, Prince Andrew will still walk Beatrice down the aisle at her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, a source told ET.
The source said the royal family is putting on a “brave face” in response to the Epstein controversy despite their disappointment in the prince.
“They love him; he’s family,” the source said.
The source added that the wedding plans are yet to be fixed, with further details expected to be disclosed after a number of wedding venues have been explored.