Public's 'verdict' on seeing Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie at Christmas walkabout amid Andrew turmoil
The sisters made a surprise appearance at the Christmas Day walkabout
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s appearance at the Sandringham Christmas Day walkabout was reportedly met with “relief” from royal watchers, despite the ongoing fallout surrounding their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, royal watcher and witness Karen Anvil described an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the crowd gathered to see the royals attend a church service in Sandringham on December 25.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie spend Christmas Day in Sandringham
“People in the queue were openly pleased and relieved to see Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attend,” said Ms Anvil, who has attended the Sandringham walkabout for eight years. “The atmosphere was overwhelmingly positive.”
The sisters’ presence came amid intense speculation over whether they would attend this year’s festivities at all.
People in the queue were openly pleased and relieved to see Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attend.
In the days leading up to Christmas, reports swirled that Beatrice might be spending the holidays abroad with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, to avoid the ongoing drama surrounding her father.
But that narrative was firmly put to rest when both sisters arrived in Norfolk, walking alongside the wider royal family.
The sisters were accompanied by their husbands. Beatrice wore a caramel-toned belted trench coat. Meanwhile, Eugenie donned a festive tartan cape and matching pillbox hat.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly the Duke of York, did not attend the Sandringham service. Instead, he reportedly remained at Windsor following a turbulent year. He was recently stripped of his royal titles and honours amid renewed scrutiny over his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In late October, the king initiated a formal process to remove Andrew’s prince title and other honours.
The palace also confirmed that he would soon vacate his long-time residence, Royal Lodge.
Still, Ms Anvil noted that despite the shadow of Andrew’s scandal, the public remained focused on the sisters, not their father.
“I did not hear negative comments directed at the York sisters,” she said. “Andrew was not the focus of conversation in that setting. People were focused on Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie themselves and were pleased to see them.”
Beatrice and Eugenie’s Christmas appearance
Meanwhile, some royal watchers believe the sisters’ appearance sent a message.
Body language expert Judi James told The Sun that their wide smiles looked “deliberately performed” as a signal of “resilience and possibly stoicism”.
“The warmth and the protection from the Firm as a whole looked like a very emphatic message to Andrew’s daughters here,” she noted.
In a separate interview with The Mirror, Judi suggested the Christmas walkabout was likely planned behind the scenes to help ease Beatrice and Eugenie back into public view.
“With their parents banished, their sense of angst about divided loyalties must be intense,” she said. “And with public disapproval for their father at a high, appearances like this could naturally throw up feelings of tension.”
Beatrice and Eugenie’s Christmas Day appearance marked their most prominent public outing since the latest developments surrounding their father.
The past year has been especially challenging for Beatrice and Eugenie. Their father has faced renewed scrutiny over his association with Epstein.
Andrew has also been accused of sexual assault by the late Virginia Giuffre. He has vehemently denied the allegations.
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