Prince Andrew seen in public for first time since frosty exchange with William at Duchess of Kent's funeral

Prince Andrew was photographed leaving Royal Lodge on Friday morning, his Range Rover pulling away as he appeared to head toward Windsor Great Park for a horse ride.

Days after the Duchess of Kent’s funeral, reports emerged that the Duke of York had been visibly shunned by members of the royal family. A public sighting followed what was described by observers as a frosty exchange with his nephew, Prince William, during the Westminster Cathedral service in which they paid tribute to Katharine, Duchess of Kent.

Body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail that William’s nonverbal responses suggested awkwardness, with the prince offering only a brief nod and minimal engagement. James described Andrew’s attempt to chat as a smug-looking smile and laid out a sequence of signals she said indicated a reluctance to reciprocate the overture, including a restrained head tilt, avoidance of eye contact, and a prolonged nose touch that she said functioned as a barrier to conversation. She noted that William appeared keen to maintain a solemn posture, possibly relieved to return to a more somber bearing after the exchange.

The analysis—which drew from the same interaction at Westminster Cathedral—positioned the moment within broader scrutiny of Andrew’s ongoing ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier whose abuse case precipitated the duke’s withdrawal from public duties years ago. The episode has continued to surface in royal coverage amid wider debates about accountability within the monarchy.

Lip readers cited by the Daily Mail offered a different, though related, glimpse of after-service interactions. They described pleasantries such as It was a beautiful service and Aren’t we lucky with the weather today during conversations allegedly engaged by Andrew following the service, including snippets with his sister, Princess Anne. The reports said Andrew seemed to converse briefly as he waited for others and then moved toward his car, while Anne guided him and staff were thanked for their roles in the proceedings.

Separately, historian Andrew Lownie’s forensic biography of Andrew, Entitled, has also stirred controversy within royal circles. Some passages were reportedly removed for legal reasons, according to the author, a development described as adding to the sense of upheaval surrounding the duke and the monarchy at a time of heightened scrutiny.

The day’s timing also aligned with a broader scene of movement among royal figures. The King drove away in the State Bentley after a formal moment in which he appeared to exchange a few warm words with his daughter-in-law as she smiled and curtsied before him. The Duchess of York was observed waving at the royal car with a practiced bob, an image that underscored the complex and sometimes tense dynamics playing out in public view. Prince Andrew, meanwhile, was seen exchanging a few words with his sister, Princess Anne, thanking staff and heading toward his own vehicle. He was later photographed waiting at the side of the building as his ex-wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York, engaged with other attendees on the steps.