THE Queen proved controversial Prince Andrew remains her “favourite child” at Prince Philip’s memorial today, according to a body language expert.
The Duke of York, often dubbed his mother’s “favourite son” walked arm-in-arm with the 95-year-old monarch as he guided her down the aisle through Westminster Abbey.
It marks Andrew’s first public appearance since he paid a £7million settlement to Virginia Giuffre to drop her civil sex assault case brought against him in the US.
Body language expert Judi James told HOAR: “It was a testament to the Queen’s ongoing firmness, resilience and apparent determination that she chose her most controversial child to not only walk her up the aisle today but to also appear in the role once filled by her husband Prince Philip once the service was over.
“It was Andrew standing dutifully and confidently to attention in the middle of the aisle waiting for her once the service had ended and it was Andrew there standing behind her, arms clasped behind his back in a signature pose of his father’s, joining in the smiles and laughter as the Queen thanked her hosts and spoke to the guest speakers.
“It was also Andrew who was on the receiving end of her only smile before the service as she smiled and nodded to him in thanks in a very emphatic public gesture as she went to take her own seat.”
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Andrew, who stepped down from public life over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was handed a front row seat in the Abbey, sitting close to his other siblings.
Andrew has always denied all allegations against him.
Judi added: “All the body language gestures and rituals that the Queen performs in public are significant rather than spontaneous and her smile of thanks to her second son as he bowed after escorting her to her seat should probably be seen as a message of intent to the world.
“It was Charles, Edward and Anne sitting watching and with little or no exchanged signal with their mother at this service, while Andrew took the role of escort and attendant.”
The Duke of York’s prominent role at the Westminster Abbey service – escorting his mother – was the Queen’s way of showing that her second son still has a place at family occasions, according to a royal commentator.
Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said: “It didn’t happen by chance.
“He could have sat in the congregation with others, with his relatives, but they actively decided that he would have this role of supporting her.
“So she has chosen, in essence, to remind people that he hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing, he’s not guilty of anything, he’s innocent.
“And she’s very clearly stating that he has a role at family occasions.”
Peter said the downside of Andrew having had such a prominent role in his father’s memorial service is that it is a reminder of his “many errors of judgement that have led him to being removed from public life”.
He continued: “It’s one thing to accept that he should attend his father’s memorial service.
“It’s quite another thing to then give him quite a prominent role, so it was an active choice to give him such a prominent role.”
Peter said he found it “fascinating”, and added: “Did William and Charles try to intervene? And clearly if they did then they failed.
He continued: “I think you have to start from the basis that Charles and William will have been in the driving seat with the Queen of removing Andrew from public life.
“Both of them will have been very aware of the risks of Andrew having this role. So either they decided that they could justify it on the basis that it was an event for his father, or they did try to suggest this wasn’t a good idea and the Queen chose not to listen to them.”
The bells rang out across Westminster as senior royals, charity workers and foreign royals arrived this morning to remember the Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George and Princess Charlotte were among those in attendance.
Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were by their father’s side for their grandfather’s memorial, with Beatrice becoming visibly emotional.
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Her Majesty organised for Prince Philip’s Service of Thanksgiving to take place at Westminster Abbey after his funeral was scaled back due to Covid last year.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, was laid to rest last spring, when singing was banned and numbers were limited to just 30 people under Covid restrictions.
His memorial service today, however, marks a more uplifting affair, with the Queen said to have been “actively involved” in the day’s planning.
In a particularly personal touch, Her Majesty opted to feature the flowers she and Philip had on their wedding day – white orchids – in the service.
