Still Mummy’s little boy! Queen shares a baby photo of Prince Andrew and a new official portrait to celebrate his 60th birthday – despite ongoing cloud of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal
- Royal Family Instagram account wished Prince Andrew a happy 60th birthday
- The Queen’s official account shared a photo of the Duke of York as a baby
- Celebrations come amid the ongoing cloud of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal
The Queen paid tribute to Prince Andrew as he celebrates his 60th birthday under the cloud of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
The official Royal Family Instagram account offered a public show of support for Andrew, widely considered to be the Queen’s ‘favourite’ son, by sharing two photos of the prince: a childhood photo and a new formal portrait taken to mark the milestone.
The caption reads: ‘On this day in 1960, Prince Andrew was born at Buckingham Palace, the first child born to a reigning monarch for 103 years. Happy Birthday to The Duke of York.’
The post is a glimmer of normality on what will otherwise be a day of muted celebrations far removed from the fanfare typically enjoyed by senior royals on their milestone birthdays.
The Queen paid tribute to Prince Andrew as he celebrates his 60th birthday under the cloud of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. She shared this photo of the Duke of York to mark the occasion
The post, pictured, is a glimmer of normality on what will otherwise be a day of muted celebrations far removed from the fanfare typically enjoyed by royals on milestone birthdays
It comes as Prince Andrew, who stepped back from his royal duties last year in the wake of his disastrous Newsnight interview, continues to be dogged by the scandal surrounding his relationship with paedophile Epstein.
Flags to mark the Duke of York’s birthday will not be flown from public buildings and he will not be decorated with the accoutrements of a full admiral, as royals typically are.
The Royal Family also shared this new formal portrait of the Duke of York to mark the birthday
There will also be a small family dinner at Royal Lodge, his home in Windsor Great Park, for about a dozen, rather than the dazzling Buckingham Palace party that was originally planned.
It comes as photos emerged showing Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, who has links to the prince, partying with women in the Bahamas just days after he was accused of luring at least 10 teenage girls to the compound and sexually assaulting them.
Andrew visited Nygard at his lavish estate in 2000, after the fashion designer had agreed out-of-court settlements with three employees who accused him of sexual harassment. The prince and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson stayed at Nygard Cay, near Nassau, with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.