A source from Buckingham Palace said Andrew would not attend the annual procession and chapel service for the so-called Order of the Garter – a 700-year-old knightly group that includes Queen Elizabeth, senior members of the royal family and 24 knights or ladies chosen by the monarch in recognition of their public work. However, the source said that Andrew will attend a closed-door dinner and the acceptance ceremony of new members, including this year the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Queen is also expected to attend the anniversary and dinner, but not the procession. The palace source described the arrangements around Andrew’s presence as a “family decision”. Andrew, the queen’s second son, was forced to relinquish his royal duties over his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The prince settled a lawsuit in the United States in February in which he was accused of sexually abusing a woman as a teenager. Andrew, 62, officially known as the Duke of York, has denied any wrongdoing. The Garter Day procession is one of the most colorful events in the royal calendar, featuring members walking around Queen Windsor Castle in hats and velvet robes.
