Prince Andrew took part in official Coronation photoshoot - but portraits will never see light of day
Prince Andrew posed for official Coronation photographs in his Garter robes but is “unlikely” to appear in any of the images released by Buckingham Palace, the Telegraph has learned.
The Duke of York joined members of the Royal family for a photoshoot with official photographer Hugo Burnand after last Saturday’s ceremony at Westminster Abbey and requested pictures be taken of him in his regalia despite no longer being a “working” member of the monarchy.
It came after the King gave him special permission to wear the dark blue velvet robe, which is adorned with the badge of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and one of the most senior orders of knighthood founded by Edward III in the 14th century.
The decision to allow him to wear the mantle appeared to mark a softening in the King’s approach to dealing with his disgraced younger brother, who stepped down from public duties in 2019 following his disastrous Newsnight interview, in which he justified his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Four portraits have already been released to the public, with two more expected on Friday evening - but none include the Duke.
According to an insider: “Andrew wanted to be included in the photoshoot and requested that there would be time in the schedule for him to be photographed. He wanted to make sure there was an official record of his participation in his brother’s Coronation.
”But it is unlikely the images will be released by the palace.”
A spokeswoman for Mr Burnand declined to comment.
In an interview with the Telegraph before the Coronation, Mr Burnand confirmed he would be taking “historic documents” but also “other stuff” - thought to be more relaxed images of the King and Queen with their nearest and dearest.
So far the palace has released four images taken in the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. One shows the King, 74, and Queen, 75, posing with 10 “working” members of the Royal family - the four royal dukes in their Garter robes. The Princess Royal, 72, stands to the King’s right, next to her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 68, the Duke of Gloucester, 78, the Duchess of Gloucester, 76, and the Duke of Kent, 87.
The Prince of Wales, 40, and Princess of Wales, 41, stand to the Queen’s left with Princess Alexandra, 86, who is being held up by the Duke of Edinburgh, 59, and the Duchess of Edinburgh, 58. Had they not stepped back from public duties, Andrew and Prince Harry would have been expected to be in the photographs. But the Duke was not included and Harry, 38, left straight after the two-hour service to return to his wife Meghan and children Archie, four, and Lilibet, one, in Montecito, California.
The palace also released a photograph of the King, in full regalia and wearing the Imperial State Crown holding the sovereign’s orb and sceptre. Taken in the Throne Room, His Majesty is seated on one of a pair of 1902 throne chairs that were made for the future King George V and Queen Mary for use at the coronation of King Edward VII.
The third image shows the Queen standing in the Green Drawing Room, wearing Queen Mary’s Crown and Robe of Estate while the fourth shows the King and Queen together in the Throne Room.
The new images, due to be released at 10pm on Friday, may include other family members including Prince George, nine, who was one of the King’s Pages of Honour.
It is not known whether there will be a further release of images that may include the Duke along with other “non working” Royals in the future.
A royal source said other photographs from the shoot would be for private consumption.
