If there is one person who might want to see the back of 2019, it is the Duke of York.
And it looks like he and ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, have made some not-so-thinly veiled references to it in their Christmas cards to family and friends.
Their festive tidings feature one image of one of their beloved Norfolk terriers nose-deep in a bush showing its rear end to the camera, with the caption: ‘Say Goodbye to 2019.’
Their festive tidings feature one image of one of their beloved Norfolk terriers nose-deep in a bush (pictured) showing its rear end to the camera
Another photo shows what is believed to be the Queen’s Balmoral estate and a path through the Highlands, with the message: ‘We Look to the Road Ahead.’
Inside the white embossed card – also from daughters Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29 – there is the printed message: ‘We are united with gratitude for your support and kindness, Thank you.’
The implication could not be any clearer – we are a family and we stand together, no matter what.
The picture was captioned: ‘Say Goodbye to 2019’
The message of unity follows Andrew’s disastrous interview with the BBC last month in which he tried to clear his name over the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal.
It saw him forced to step back from royal duties by the Queen.
Some of the cards have been sent with gifts from the family, including a bizarre pencil with a crown on top of the words ‘Duchess Doodles’, embossed in silver down the side.
In a recent interview the duchess, normally referred to as Fergie, revealed some of her favourite nicknames.
‘Duchy doodle,’ she said. ‘I like it. Duch, and then Fergie is fine. I answer to anything. It’s good isn’t it, I like Duchy doodle.’
The keen artist and photographer has also sent out a notebook with the phrase ‘A penny for your thoughts’ on the front.
And there is a picture of a pile of brightly-coloured beetroots with the message: ‘When the Route of life gets challenged, Go Back to your Roots, Love Sarah 2019.’
She posted a rambling defence of her former husband, with whom she still lives despite divorcing in 1996, ahead of his BBC interview, describing him as a ‘true and real gentleman’ and ‘giant of a principled man’.
Another photo shows what is believed to be the Queen’s Balmoral estate and a path through the Highlands, with the message: ‘We Look to the Road Ahead’
Inside the white embossed card – also from daughters Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29 – there is the printed message: ‘We are united with gratitude for your support and kindness, Thank you’
The duchess, 60, added: ‘I am with him every step of the way and that is my honour. We have always walked tall and strong, he for me and me for him.’
Andrew, 59, vehemently denies any wrongdoing – particularly allegations by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts.
She claimed he slept with her three times, including once when she was just 17. He is facing increasing demands to co-operate with the US authorities investigating the shamed financier’s many crimes.
Inside the white embossed card – also from the Yorks’ (pictured at Ascot in June) daughters Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29 – there is the printed message: ‘We are united with gratitude for your support and kindness, Thank you’
He recently said that he was willing to speak to the FBI but stressed that he had not yet been asked.
Andrew has also been criticised for failing to show enough sympathy for Epstein’s victims and for refusing to express regret for his association with the child sex abuser.
Epstein took his own life earlier this year while in custody.
The message of unity follows Andrew’s disastrous interview with the BBC last month (pictured) in which he tried to clear his name over the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal