Queen's 'favourite son' Andrew travels to Balmoral to be at bedside

Queen’s ‘favourite son’ Prince Andrew travels to Balmoral to be at her bedside alongside other senior royals amid concerns for monarch’s health

• The Duke of York arrived in a Range Rover alongside William, Edward and Sophie
• Royal party flew by plane to Scotland, landing at Aberdeen Airport about 4pm 
• Doctors are ‘concerned’ for monarch’s health and keeping her under supervision

Prince Andrew has arrived at Balmoral to be at the Queen’s bedside, alongside his nephew Prince William, his brother Prince Edward and sister-in-law Sophie.

Widely acknowledged to be the monarch’s ‘favourite’ son, the Duke of York travelled alongside senior royals after after doctors revealed they are ‘concerned’ for the monarch’s health and are keeping her under medical supervision. 

Andrew was pictured pulling up to the Scottish estate in the front passenger seat of a Range Rover alongside the Duke of Cambridge – who was driving – and the Earl and Countess of Wessex – who were rear passengers – just after 5pm.

The royal party had travelled to Scotland by plane, which landed at Aberdeen Airport just over an hour before. 

Prince Harry is travelling to Aberdeenshire without his wife Meghan Markle, who is staying at Frogmore Cottage, it was confirmed this afternoon.

Prince Andrew has arrived at Balmoral to be at the Queen’s bedside, alongside his nephew Prince William, his brother Prince Edward and sister-in-law Sophie

The royal party had travelled to Scotland by plane, which landed at Aberdeen Airport just over an hour before

The Duke of York travelled alongside senior royals after after doctors revealed they are ‘concerned’ for the monarch’s health and are keeping her under medical supervision

The Queen stripped Andrew of his honorary military roles in January and he gave up his HRH style amid the US civil case brought against him by accuser Virginia Giuffre.

He was given a brief return to royal life in March this year as he escorted his mother into Westminster Abbey for the service of thanksgiving for the life of his father Prince Philip.

But the Duke had no place at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June. 

Whilst he had been due to attend the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, it was announced at the last minute that he would not attend after testing positive for coronavirus. 

It prompted some royal fans to suggest that the health scare was a ‘convenient’ way of ensuring he did not make a public appearance.

He also did not feature at the Order of the Garter service at Windsor later in June, even though he had been listed on the order of service. It was reported that Prince William and Prince Charles had lobbied the Queen to ensure he did not attend. 

Part of the reason that the Queen and Andrew have historically been so close was because she had been on the throne for seven years by the time of his birth in 1960, and was therefore able to spend more time with him and his brother Edward than her other children, Charles and Anne.

Insiders have said Andrew is seen by the Queen as ‘the spare she had for herself once she had produced the heir’ and that he would raise spirits by making her laugh.

Today, in an unprecedented statement about the 96-year-old’s health, Buckingham Palace described the Queen as ‘comfortable’ after her doctors examined her this morning, hours after she was advised to rest instead of attending a meeting of the Privy Council on Zoom last night.

A royal spokesman said: ‘Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.’

Prince Charles, Camilla and Princess Anne are believed to be with the Queen, whose health appears to have worsened this morning. 

The heir to the throne, seen carrying a briefcase, took a royal helicopter to Balmoral from Dumfries House with his wife this morning. Anne was already at Balmoral after an engagement this week.

(L-R) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Edward, Earl of Wessex arrive to see Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle

At 4pm a jet from RAF Northolt in London to Aberdeen landed carrying the Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and his wife Sophie, who filed off the plane led by Prince William. Their convoy of cars arrived at Balmoral at 5pm.

Prince Harry was not on board but is believed to be on his way to Balmoral, separately from other royals. It is understood Meghan will remain in London, but will not attend the WellChild awards as planned. 

The duchess could potentially join Harry in Scotland at a later date, a source said, following a change of plan where it was initially suggested Meghan would go north with her husband.

And Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has stayed behind and was spotted in Windsor driving to pick up George, Charlotte and Louis after they first full day at their new school.

Source: Read Full Article