Prince Andrew ‘delivers message from Queen’ despite step back from Royal duties

Prince Andrew has delivered a message of sympathy from the Queen to the people of China, despite bowing out from royal duties following his car-crash Newsnight interview.

Together with his ex-wife the Duchess of York, his eldest daughter Princess Beatrice and her fiancé, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Andrew attended Ambassador Liu Xiaoming’s event celebrating Chinese New Year.

After the event, Mr Xiaoming said Prince Andrew delivered the sympathies of the Queen to the Chinese people over the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

He tweeted that she had said: ‘At the critical time of fighting #coronavirus, I express my sincere sympathy for Chinese people, and pray for the speedy control and victory over the virus.’

Mr Xiaoming revealed he and his wife decided to invite Prince Andrew and his family to the palace to celebrate Chinese New Year.

He tweeted: ‘Their enthusiasm for China and contribution to China-UK relation is highly appreciated.’

The death toll from coronavirus rose to 811 today, meaning it has killed more people than the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003.

There are now believed to be 37,000 cases of coronavirus in China and other parts of the world, including the UK, France, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and the US.

Prince Andrew is due to turn 60 this month, but councils refused to mark his birthday by flying Union flags, after being asked to via email.

They have now been told by the government they do not have to celebrate the occasion on February 19.

The Duke of York stepped back from public duties last year over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

He has since been called on by the FBI to participate in an investigation into Epstein, after the entrepreneur died in prison in August.

Virginia Giuffre says she was trafficked to London by Epstein in 2001 and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew, which he strongly denies.