The Duke of York will not join the rest of the Royal Family for the traditional Christmas gathering in Sandringham.
Prince Andrew is expected to “honourably withdraw” from Royal Family events at Christmas to avoid being a distraction.
He is instead expected to stay at home in Windsor on Christmas Day.
It comes after an alleged Chinese spy, linked to the prince, was named following a High Court judgement.
Yang Tengbo, also known as Chris Yang, had been banned from entering the UK.
In a statement on Monday, the Chinese businessman denied being a spy and said he had “done nothing wrong or unlawful”.
Prince Andrew’s office said nothing sensitive had ever been discussed with Mr Yang, who is alleged to have been part of an operation to get close to influential figures.
However, with the controversy over his links to Mr Yang continuing to make headlines, it has now been revealed that Prince Andrew will not be at Sandringham, unlike in previous years.
The Christmas morning church service is a major event in the royal calendar. It brings together the Royal Family for a public appearance, and crowds and photographers capture the moment.
Reports had been that Prince Andrew was privately being urged to keep a low profile this Christmas to avoid him becoming the talking point if he attended the Sandringham gathering. There were concerns that his presence could overshadow the occasion.
