Prince Andrew makes public return after close call

Prince Andrew was back in the saddle on Saturday for an early morning ride at Royal Lodge, marking his first public appearance since narrowly avoiding a dramatic fall earlier in the week. 

The Duke of York was spotted enjoying his usual weekend outing, dressed in the same thin grey jacket he wore on Monday, when his horse was spooked during a ride around the Windsor estate. 

The black mare seemed startled, causing the Duke to lose his balance in what could have been an embarrassing tumble. 

Fortunately, the moment was averted, and Prince Andrew was back to his riding routine, undeterred by the earlier scare.

He has remained largely out of the spotlight since his infamous 2019 Newsnight interview, where his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein led to a massive public backlash. 

The interview prompted Andrew to step down as a senior royal, with the late Queen stripping him of his titles and honorary military roles.

Since then, the Duke has faced a series of setbacks, including being denied the privilege of wearing his military uniform at significant events, such as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. 

Tensions with King Charles have also been high, with reports suggesting the monarch attempted to evict his brother from the 30-room Royal Lodge, offering him instead the much smaller Frogmore Cottage, previously home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.