PRINCE Andrew turned up for his granddaughter’s christening yesterday — just his second public appearance since settling his sex abuse lawsuit. The Duke arrived in his £220,000 Bentley for the service for Princess Beatrice’s seven-month-old girl Sienna. The car’s DOY plate appeared to be a defiant message to York councillors who this week stripped him […]
PRINCE Andrew turned up for his granddaughter’s christening yesterday — just his second public appearance since settling his sex abuse lawsuit.
The Duke arrived in his £220,000 Bentley for the service for Princess Beatrice’s seven-month-old girl Sienna.
The car’s DOY plate appeared to be a defiant message to York councillors who this week stripped him of the freedom of the city.
They have also called for him to relinquish his Duke of York title in the wake of his out-of-court settlement with American accuser Virginia Giuffre in February.
Andrew, 62, was joined at St James’s Palace in London by his ex-wife, Beatrice’s mum Sarah Ferguson, also 62.
He missed Sienna’s birth in September as he was at Balmoral while lawyers for Ms Giuffre tried to serve the writ in person.
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About a dozen pals of Bea, 33, and hubby Edo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, joined the hour-long ceremony, believed to be at the palace’s Chapel Royal. A source said: “It was a private family event.”
The Queen, 96, was absent as she held two virtual audiences from Windsor Castle.
Andrew was last seen in public a month ago when he helped walk the Queen into Westminster Abbey at a memorial service to celebrate the life of Prince Philip.
A month earlier he agreed to pay Ms Giuffre in the region of £7million to settle her case against him without accepting liability.
She alleged she was trafficked to the Duke as a teenager by his pal Jeffrey Epstein in 2001.
The lawsuit became such an embarrassment to the Royal Family that Andrew was stripped of his patronages and military titles in January and told to stop using the style His Royal Highness in an official capacity.
Beatrice, who wed property developer Edo in 2020, has yet to release a photograph of Sienna.
She was seen walking with her daughter in a pushchair in London earlier this month.
Jobless Andrew bankrolled his out-of-court settlement with a family loan because he does not have enough cash beyond a Navy pension thought to be about £20,000 a year.
Older brother Charles, 72, and the Queen are understood to have stumped up most of the loan. Andrew is repaying it by selling his £17million chalet in Verbier, Switzerland.
He acquired the 200mph Bentley last year and put “DOY” peronalised number plates on it.
The Flying Spur was also resprayed in British racing green.
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It is not known how he paid for it but royals are often given favourable lease deals.
The Chapel Royal has hosted many royal ceremonies including Victoria’s wedding. Prince George was christened there in 2013.
