King Charles has been spared fresh "public embarrassment" after Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson opted to skip the traditional pre-Christmas royal lunch at Buckingham Palace, according to a royal commentator.

For the last two years, King Charles hosted the pre-Christmas luncheon at Windsor Castle. His mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, traditionally chose Buckingham Palace as the venue for the luncheon, attended by 70 or so guests. This year marks the first in Charles’ reign that the luncheon returned to the palace.

King Charles III’s Christmas lunch had fellow royal family members in attendance, while others skipped the pre-holiday festivities. Charles, 76, hosted a lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, December 19,