Only the Duchess of York and their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will attend from the family with Andrew’s remaining close friends, according to royal sources. The Queen had been due to attend a grand reception to mark his landmark birthday, for organisations that have Andrew as patron. 

But that was cancelled in November when he was forced to stand down from official royal duties for the foreseeable future after a furious public backlash to a television interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

There had been reports that the Queen would host a small family dinner but it is understood that the 93-year-old will not be there tonight. 

A source said: “None of them is going: not his brothers or his sister either.” 

Fergie, who has organised the dinner party, has had to invite extra guests because of the number of old friends who have discovered they are busy and are now unavailable, it was reported yesterday. 

Buckingham Palace refused to say anything, adding: “It’s a private event. So we are not commenting.” 

Another friend of Andrew’s said: “All I know is that it is a small dinner party for close friends and family.” 

With the FBI and US attorneys wanting to question the Duke about his friendship with Epstein, who committed suicide by hanging himself in August in a New York prison cell awaiting sex trafficking charges, the Government has ruled that its buildings will not be required to fly the Union flag to celebrate Andrew’s birthday. 

Normally they would do but, after a review, Whitehall officials decided it was not necessary for a member of the Royal Family who had stepped back from public duties. 

Many government buildings fly the Union flag year-round anyway though. 

However, the bells of Westminster Abbey will still ring out to celebrate, as it is a Royal Peculiar – a place of worship that falls under the jurisdiction of the monarch rather than a bishop. 

The abbey also marks the birthdays of the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, their children, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children. 

Town halls can choose whether to fly the Union flag on any given day but many said they will not mark Andrew’s birthday this year. 

The prince is under pressure to talk to lawyers who represent women who claim they were trafficked by Epstein and ordered to sleep with his wealthy friends. 

One of them, Virginia Giuffre, alleges the Duke had sex with her on three occasions, including when she was 17. 

Andrew strenuously denies the allegations. 

He was due to be promoted to admiral on his 60th birthday, in line with a long-standing policy that sees senior royals treated as serving military members. 

The Daily Express revealed he asked to defer the promotion until he can fully resume royal duties. 

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