Prince Andrew will not be spending Christmas with the Royal Family this year (Image: Getty)

Christmas is one of the few times of the year when families come together, but this year Prince Andrew will be celebrating with only his ex-wife for company.

The latest scandal engulfing the Duke has forced him to make the difficult decision to stay away from Sandringham – but to pull out from the pre-Christmas lunch is a significant blow for the King’s brother, who had been determined to attend.

Andrew believed he had every right to join the extended family for the private gathering, but with it being held at Monarchy HQ – the optics just wouldn’t have been right.

Even just a few blurry photos of him arriving at the Palace gates would have been enough to overshadow what should be an afternoon of merriment after a difficult year for the Firm.

While the Duke appears to have made the decision to excuse himself from both festive gatherings – with strong encouragement from Sarah Ferguson and advisers – he may feel that the door has been left open for his attendance at future events.

But against a backdrop of simmering tensions over Royal Lodge, Andrew has inadvertently cemented his royal isolation.

The King will no doubt be grateful that his brother has chosen to keep a low profile but it is hard to see that he will be invited back anytime soon.

His absence from a private family event with no public photo opportunities speaks volumes about his relationship with the Royal Family.

Even after his disastrous Newsnight interview, which left his reputation in tatters, he was able to stay on the periphery.

But for now, Andrew isn’t even allowed to linger on the outskirts – how long his exile lasts will ultimately be down to the King.