While Prince Andrew goes horse riding in Windsor, rest of the royal family attends Commonwealth Service

Outcast Today, Prince Andrew was observed breaking cover in Windsor, as members of his family gathered in London to commemorate Commonwealth Day.

The Duke of York, 62, has been sighted riding his horse across the grounds of Windsor Castle and driving his Range Rover through the estate.

His outing, his first since he was seen driving on Friday, comes as the royal family celebrates Commonwealth Day with a service at Westminster Abbey today.

The ceremony marks Prince Andrew’s first significant public appearance since his immoral act settlement with Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein, in the United States.

Today’s service includes Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, William and Kate, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Princess Alexandra.

The Queen, on the other hand, will not be present. The 95-year-old monarch was informed on Friday that she would be unable to attend the ceremony, which is traditionally a highlight in her calendar.

Her absence from the occasion would have been her first major engagement since contracting Covid in February, however, Palace officials stress it is not due to illness.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were greeted as they arrived for the ceremony, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were waiting inside the place of worship, and the two royal spouses kissed on the cheeks.

However, palace officials disclosed last Friday that the Queen, who is also the Commonwealth’s Head of State, had invited her son Charles to represent her at the service after consulting with members of the Royal Household.

It’s assumed that the monarch’s comfort, as she now walks with a stick and has spoken frankly about her mobility challenges, was a major factor in her choice not to participate.

The monarch’s declaration occurred after the order of service was printed with her name on it, and the assembly was expected to stand when she arrived and took her place.

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, addressed the assembly, saying: ‘In this jubilee year, in which we rejoice in the 70 years that Her Majesty the Queen has presided over this Commonwealth, we also thank God for her faithfulness and commit ourselves to learn from an example of duty and service. In words and music in the Abbey, we will now retrace the steps of her great Commonwealth tour that began 70 years ago.’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and David Walliams, who brought his mother Kathleen, were among those who arrived before the royals.

Sarah Clarke, Lady Usher of the Black Rod, Mark Spencer, Leader of the House of Commons, and US ambassador Philip Reeker – as well as Baroness Patricia Scotland and MP Jacob Rees-Mogg – were also in attendance this afternoon.

The Queen said today that it was ‘rewarding to observe a modern, vibrant and connected Commonwealth that combines a wealth of history and tradition with the great social, cultural and technological advances of our time’.

It comes as it was today revealed The Queen’s diary is ‘under review’ and she is unlikely to ever undertake some major public engagements such as investitures again. Sources stress that the 95-year-old monarch is not ill and is ‘as committed to her duties of state as ever’.

Senior royal advisers, as well as the Queen herself, are said to have realised that the ‘frailties that come with living a long life’ are finally catching up with her.

She will continue to attend public events as much as possible, but her public appearances will be considerably reduced.

That means she will no longer be required to stand for hour-long public investitures, which will now be done by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and Princess Royal.

A source told the Daily Mail: ‘The Queen is still as alert, able and interested as ever but, physically, she isn’t as strong as she once was, which is entirely understandable for a woman of her age.’

Buckingham Palace declined to comment. However, a royal source said: ‘The Royal Family understands the important role investitures play in recognising service and celebrating people’s contribution to society and there has been a real drive to catch up on the backlog created by Covid restrictions.

‘The Prince of Wales, Princess Royal and Duke of Cambridge have been leading the charge. It’s easy to envisage that they will continue in that vein but I wouldn’t rule out Her Majesty doing smaller or one-off investitures.’

The announcement comes after the old monarch was forced to miss today’s Commonwealth Day service.

Buckingham Palace said on Friday that she had asked the Prince of Wales to represent her at Westminster Abbey, despite earlier in the week insisting she ‘hoped’ to be there.

The Queen, who has been afflicted with debilitating health concerns since last autumn and is increasingly reliant on a walking stick, was said to be ‘regretful’ of the decision.

Buckingham Palace had stated that she wanted to attend three major events in March: the annual Diplomatic Reception, which was cancelled due to the conflict in Ukraine, the Commonwealth Day service, and the service of thanksgiving for her late husband on March 29 at Westminster Abbey.

The Mail knows that the Queen is still planning to attend the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral and may even be ‘pacing herself’ in public in order to do so.

Her first in-person encounter after recovering from Covid was with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Windsor Castle last Monday.

Mr Trudeau and other sources have stated that she is in good health and does not require the use of a stick.

She appeared to be ‘bright, alert, and walking relatively unencumbered,’ according to another source who saw her at Sandringham last month. Insiders agree, however, that the Queen, like any woman of her age, has ‘good days and less good days, as you would expect.’

She has not been able to walk her dogs at Windsor for the last six months, according to reports, though others claim she has been out on the estate.

Courtiers were so concerned, according to The Mail on Sunday, that they were debating whether she would be mobile enough to attend Philip’s memorial.

This would certainly cast doubt on how much the Queen will be able to participate in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.

The Treasury insisted this week that no taxpayer funds were used to compensate Prince Andrew’s immoral act victim Virginia Roberts.

Last month, the Duke of York agreed to pay a substantial sum of money, estimated to be around £12 million, to settle a dispute brought by Ms Roberts.

She said that when she was 17, she was forced to have an immoral act with the duke three times in the direction of paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

In response to a Freedom of Information request asking whether public money was used for the Duke’s legal costs or the out-of-court settlement, the Treasury said: ‘No public money has been used to pay legal or settlement fees you refer to.’

For the first time since settling with Ms Roberts, Prince Andrew was seen on Friday.

Prince Andrew has compensated Virginia Roberts, an immoral act complainant, and has been photographed for the first time since the settlement.

Ms Roberts had been allowed permission to suit Prince Andrew, 61, in a New York civil court for undisclosed damages. Despite swearing to fight the claims and constantly claiming his innocence, the prince agreed to a settlement in January.

Prince Andrew is thought to have paid Ms Roberts his financial settlement, effectively ending the dispute.

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