Prince Andrew frozen out from family ski holiday
SPARE a thought for Prince Andrew this Christmas. After being forced to step back from his public duties, he’s now missing out on his private commitments, too.
Conspicuous by his absence at Princess Beatrice’s engagement party on Wednesday, the Duke of York is now expected to stay in this country when his daughters fly off to the Alps for their annual skiing holiday with their mother in the new year.
‘The Duchess of York will be spending Christmas in Switzerland,’ one of her friends tells me.
‘Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will be joining her after they’ve spent the festive period with the Royal Family at Sandringham.
‘Prince Andrew will not be joining them this year. He will be lying low back home.’
The Duke will be very sorry not to be sloping off to that most chi-chi of Swiss ski resorts, Verbier, where he jointly owns a seven-bedroom chalet with Fergie.
The pair, who divorced in 1996, bought the property for £13 million in both their names in 2014.
New Year in the snow with their daughters has been a regular holiday for Fergie and Andrew, who have remained very close and share Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Beatrice is due to marry property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi next spring and his mother, Nikki Williams-Ellis, hosted the engagement party at fashionable Chiltern Firehouse in London’s Marylebone.
Bea wore a sparkly silver dress designed by her favourite fashion label, Needle & Thread, prompting speculation among guests that it might also create her wedding dress.
Cocktails were supplied by Casamigos, the tequila brand founded by Hollywood star George Clooney and Rande Gerber, husband of supermodel Cindy Crawford. Princess Eugenie’s husband, Jack Brooksbank, is Casamigos brand manager.
Photographers massed outside the Chiltern Firehouse to capture guests including Pippa Middleton, and pop stars Ellie Goulding and James Blunt, but Bea and Edo avoided the snappers by spending the night at the venue.