Disgraced Prince Andrew will walk shoulder-to-shoulder with King Charles III and other lead royals behind Queen's coffin

The Duke of York is set to join leading members of the royal family behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin

PUBLISHED SEP 12, 2022

Prince Andrew is the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and is eighth in the line of succession to the British throne (Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM- Prince Andrew will reportedly play an important role as the royal family prepares for the national mourning period after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II. The Duke of York will appear alongside siblings King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

The 62-year-old had travelled alongside Prince William of Wales, the Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex when they touched down in Aberdeen on Thursday afternoon, September 8, just before the news came in about the Queen's passing.

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According to Express UK, Prince Andrew will walk shoulder-to-shoulder with the King, Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ Cathedral.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward, Duke of Wessex and Princess Anne, Princess Royal receive the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Palace of Holyroodhouse, where she will lie overnight and then be moved to St Giles Catherdral on September 11, 2022 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. — Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward, Duke of Wessex and Princess Anne, Princess Royal receive the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Palace of Holyroodhouse, where she will lie overnight and then be moved to St Giles Catherdral on September 11, 2022 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.(Photo by Lisa Ferguson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

As per the outlet, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will also appear at events involving leading members of the royal family. A palace source said it would be "out of the question" for any of them to not be included in the upcoming events. The source also added, "these plans will be signed off by the King in accordance with his mother's wishes."

The Duke of York was seen comforting his daughter Princess Eugenie, 32, as they viewed flowers laid at the gates of the Aberdeenshire castle with other members of the Royal Family.

Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York look at messages and floral tributes left by members of the public after attending a service at Crathie Kirk church near Balmoral following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 10, 2022 in Crathie near Aberdeen, United Kingdom. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. — Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York look at messages and floral tributes left by members of the public after attending a service at Crathie Kirk church near Balmoral following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 10, 2022 in Crathie near Aberdeen, United Kingdom.(Photo by Owen Humphreys-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

His appearance alongside his three siblings will happen when the late Queen's coffin will be driven 1,200 yards along Edinburgh's Royal Mile. Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will also look after the Queen's favourite corgis as the Duke of York gifted them to his mother during last year's lockdown.

Prince Andrew was previously in the news due to his civil sex assault case, stemming from his friendship with the convicted sex offender, the late Jeffrey Epstein. He was kept away from the media glare and was not invited to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June this year.

In January 2022, Andrew was slapped with a civil sex assault case by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. Following this, he had to give up his HRH title, 'His Royal Highness,' that distinguishes a person as “royal” over others. Andrew also had to give up his patronages and honorary military roles. The case was settled for an undisclosed sum.

Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Tim Laurence will also follow on foot. However, the Queen Consort and the Countess of Wessex are expected to travel by car. Ever since royal physicians first announced that the Queen's health had taken a turn for the worse, the royal family has presented a united front. Prince William was seen driving his uncles Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and aunt Sophie in a Range Rover to Balmoral. But things may gradually change as time passes with Prince Andrew becoming more distanced from the "working royals". He will most likely continue to be kept away from public parts of ceremonies and from public-facing royal duties. However, the Queen's funeral is an exception for obvious reasons.