Prince Andrew showed 'torment' during Sandringham Christmas walk, says expert

A body language expert claimed that Prince Andrew appeared "haunted" when he joined the rest of the royal family during the morning walk to St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham on Dec. 25.

The Duke of York surprised the waiting crowd with his appearance following months of keeping to himself after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. But he did not seem at ease being in public as he "walked alone, alongside but outside the royal pack," according to body language expert Judi James.

She told the Mirror that Prince Andrew "looked very much like the victim of a cull" and that "his wide eyes and his ashen face made him look wary and haunted." James explained, "His head was held high at times but there appeared to be no one stepping up from the chatty and tactile group of royals to join him or to include him, leaving him walking several paces outside the very upbeat, tactile groups with his hands stuffed into his pockets."

The last time Prince Andrew stepped out in public was during the funeral events for Queen Elizabeth II in September. According to James, the disgraced royal "managed a more inclusive look during the Queen's funeral when appearances were more formal and military."

However, in an informal scenario like the walkabout at Sandringham, he appeared to be "more on the outside of the royal pack than inside." His rounded eye "suggested some torment" and that he finds it difficult "to see his public appearances as any form of PR event."

According to reports, Prince Andrew also interacted with some of the people in the crowd. He stopped to talk to a woman who admitted that she was freezing. He then gave her "bizarre" advice about standing on a newspaper to warm her feet.

Prince Andrew quit public life in 2019 because of the controversy caused by his association with the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. He was subsequently accused of rape by Virginia Roberts Giuffre which he settled out of court in March 2022. Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his royal patronages and military titles in January 2022.