Daily Times

King Charles III and close members of the royal family attended Christmas Day services Wednesday at a church on Sandringham, the estate on the windswept North Sea coast that has served as a retreat for the royals for generations.

The monarch, who is suffering from cancer, waved to a large crowd of onlookers who traditionally gather outside the church in hopes of catching a glimpse of the royal parade before and after the service. Also in attendance was the Princess of Wales, the king´s daughter-in-law, who has been slowly returned to public duties after completing a course of chemotherapy.

In a reflection of the medical treatments they have received, Charles is expected to use his annual Christmas message broadcast later in the day to highlight health workers.

One familiar face was absent from the traditional scene outside St. Mary Magdalene Church: Prince Andrew. The king´s 64-year-old brother has retreated further into the shadows amid news that a Chinese businessman had been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.

Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has become a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Even though Andrew had stepped back from public duties, he has continued to appear at family events and his absence from Sandringham suggests a further retreat from the public eye. The king has been under pressure to put more distance between Andrew and the royal family to avoid further embarrassment to the monarchy.

While Andrew has said he never discussed anything sensitive with the suspected Chinese spy and that he ceased contact with the man as soon as concerns were raised, the scandal raises further questions about his judgment and distracts from the work of the royal family, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?´´

“The reason why this is a problem for the king is simply that the king is trying to rebrand the monarchy at the moment, centering its focus around him, but also around William, Catherine, what they are trying to do,” Owens said.

“It´s been a very difficult year for the monarchy, not least because of the two cancer diagnoses. And all the positive headlines that the king has been trying to generate of late, unfortunately, are overshadowed by the behavior, the reckless behavior, of his younger brother, who once again finds himself in the headlines.”

Charles’ speech was recorded at Fitzrovia Chapel in London, which was part of the now-demolished Middlesex Hospital where his first wife, Diana, opened London´s first dedicated ward for those with AIDS. The building is richly decorated in a Gothic Revival style featuring more than 500 stars in a gold leaf ceiling. “I assume that this space, being one of calm reflection, but also thinking about health, about care, about the medical profession, would make it a pretty apt choice,” said Carla Whalen, chair of the Fitzrovia Chapel Foundation´s board of trustees. The broadcast is watched by millions of people in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth. In keeping with the King´s desire to go into the community, he tasked the team organizing the broadcast with finding a site away from the royal estate. It’s a rare occasion when the monarch’s Christmas message is not recorded from one of the royal residences, notably Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.