Prince Andrew abides by Sarah Ferguson's decision to give King Charles relief

Prince Andrew has consulted with his ex-wife, Sarah, and has made the decision not to join tomorrow's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.

The Duke backed out of the event after consulting with his ex-wife, who urged him not to go.

Buckingham Palace is scheduled to hold a gathering that is expected to attract 70 members of the Royal Family, but royal officials are not sure about the Duke's attendance.

Andrew’s absence is seen as a response to the ongoing controversy surrounding his alleged connections to a spy scandal, relieving King Charles III.

The Mail reported that Andrew had insisted he had every right to attend the event. He is said to have told friends "he should be there" prior to his decision not to attend.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson had withdrawn from the annual gathering at Sandringham.

Andrew and Sarah Ferguson will instead spend December 25 at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate. This marks a departure from their usual Christmas at Sandringham, where it was previously announced they would not attend the annual festivities.