Prince Andrew

The service at St Paul's Cathedral was to be the Duke of York's only appearance at an official platinum jubilee event.

Also absent from the balcony were the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped down from royal duties in 2020. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice.

Prince Andrew was preparing to gather with the royal family at St Paul's Cathedral in honour of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, on Friday.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “After undertaking a routine test The Duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow’s service.” It is understood Andrew saw the queen in the last few days but has been undertaking regular testing and has not seen her since he tested positive. Andrew was set to join the wider royal family at the high-profile event in St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Friday.

After testing positive for COVID-19, Prince Andrew will not be attending a service of thanksgiving celebrating Queen Elizabeth for her Platinum Jubilee.

Royal commentator Robert Jobson told PEOPLE there was uneasiness among senior members of the royal family about the Queen's decision to be escorted by Prince Andrew, "but she insisted." The decision to strip Andrew of his titles and affiliations was "widely discussed" within the senior ranks of the royal family, a royal source confirms to PEOPLE — likely meaning talks between Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince William. In January, the Queen stripped Prince Andrew of his military titles and patronages amid a lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew at the age of 17.

Andrew was due to appear at a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral, London on Friday. | ITV National News.

Millions will gather on Sunday for patriotic street parties, picnics and barbecues. The duke denied the claims, but paid millions to Ms Giuffre to settle a civil sexual assault case in February. On Saturday evening, the BBC’s Party at the Palace – set on three stages in front of Buckingham Palace – will entertain a live crowd of 22,000 people and a television audience of millions.

Queen Elizabeth II's disgraced second son Prince Andrew has contracted Covid and will not attend a thanksgiving service for her Platinum Jubilee, ...

He claimed never to have met her. "After undertaking a routine test, the Duke (of York) has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service," a spokesman said after the prince was also absent from Thursday's ceremonies. "After undertaking a routine test, the Duke (of York) has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service," a spokesman said after there was no sign of the prince at Thursday's ceremonies.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, will no longer be attending the Service of Thanksgiving, which is part of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee ...

Prince Andrew was also not present for the Trooping of the Colour parade on June 2. However, the Service of Thanksgiving was the only event in the queen's four-day celebrations that Andrew was previously scheduled to attend. Andrew reportedly saw the queen in the days prior to testing positive, but has undergone routine daily testing and has not seen the monarch since his positive test, per the Daily Mail.

'After undertaking a routine test The Duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service'.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "After undertaking a routine test The Duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service." 'After undertaking a routine test The Duke has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service' The duke was cast out of the working monarchy and no longer uses his HRH style after Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.