FUTURE kings Charles and William didn’t want Andrew to walk the Queen down the aisle at Prince Philip’s memorial yesterday, it’s claimed.
However, sources say Her Majesty “couldn’t say no” to her “favourite son” – despite effectively banishing him from the royal frontline just two months ago.
The Duke of York travelled the 30 miles between Windsor and London in his mother’s car yesterday.
He then walked arm-in-arm with the monarch as he guided her through Westminster Abbey yesterday morning before making his way to a front row seat.
It had been previously understood she would be accompanied to her seat by the Dean of Westminster, with Andrew behind.
And there are now fears that the duke will use his appearance as a “springboard” to reappear at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend in June.
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It marks his first public appearance since he paid a £7million settlement to Virginia Giuffre to drop her civil sex assault case.
And while the gesture shows the monarch’s support for her middle son, sources claim it sparked “consternation” at the Palace.
Andrew has been accused of completely misreading the public mood after successfully lobbying his mother to walk in with her.
Charles and William were both resistant – but insiders claimed the Queen “couldn’t say no” and Andrew “insisted”.
A source told The Celeb Report: “Maybe the duke just doesn’t get it.
“He just doesn’t understand.
“The public will always understand why he attended the service, but by putting himself front and centre, he has misread the situation.”
Andrew, who stepped down from public life over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was handed a front row seat in the Abbey, sitting close to his other siblings.
On his left was his brother, the Earl of Wessex, as well as Edward’s family, the Countess of Wessex and their children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
Across the aisle on his right was the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princes of Wales and the Queen.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte also attended the service with their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, sitting behind the Queen.
Behind Andrew and Edward’s family were Peter Phillips, and Zara and Mike Tindall and their daughters.
DUKE OF HAZARD
The duke, who vehemently denies the accusations against him, wore a lounge suit for the service, rather than military uniform.
Meanwhile, the service marked the Queen’s first major official engagement outside one of her homes for almost six months.
She last appeared to open the Welsh Senedd in Cardiff on October 14.
The 95-year-old had been determined to appear at the event, but a period of ill-health recently meant her attendance was only confirmed by Buckingham Palace yesterday morning.
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Her grandson Harry did not attend, making him the only senior royal to skip the service.
The Duke of Sussex stayed at his £11million Californian mansion with wife Meghan, blaming his absence on a row over police protection — despite visiting the Netherlands in two weeks for the Invictus Games.
