Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in 'impossible' situation amid Andrew and Sarah scandal
Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and honours last year
The royal family’s alleged fallout with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson has reportedly placed their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, in an “impossible” position.
Last year, Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and told to leave his Windsor property, Royal Lodge. The drastic move came amid backlash surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
While Andrew and Sarah have remained largely out of sight, their daughters joined the rest of the royals for Christmas at Sandringham, walking alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla on Christmas Day with their husbands, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in ‘impossible’ situation
According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the royal sisters are navigating a difficult emotional and public landscape.
“Both have taken on new charities. Both of them are happily married, with families, with jobs,” he told GB News. “The Yorks have always been a close-knit family. That isn’t the case any longer. It’s impossible for both princesses.”
He added that the breakdown of their parents’ standing within the monarchy has fundamentally changed the family structure.
Meanwhile, royal author Ingrid Seward claimed Andrew actively encouraged his daughters to attend the family’s Christmas celebrations.
“Andrew said to them, ‘You have to go,'” she told The Sun. “He wants to know what’s going on and what people are saying about him. They are Andrew’s only passport into the royal family now. I’m absolutely sure he persuaded them.”
Despite the scandal, both Beatrice and Eugenie have retained their princess titles. One insider told the Daily Mail: “[The king] wouldn’t have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them.”
Princess Beatrice was reportedly set to go skiing for Christmas but changed her plans to join Eugenie and the rest of the family. While Beatrice has maintained a supportive relationship with her father, sources say Eugenie has quietly cut ties.
According to a Mail on Sunday source: “There is no contact at all [between Eugenie and Andrew]. Beatrice is trying to walk the fine line of not cutting her father off and yet remaining close with the royal family.”
A source told Now to Love the scandal has “ripped the family apart”.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal
Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 and was formally stripped of his royal titles and honours in 2025.
He has consistently vehemently denied allegations of sexual assault made by Virginia Giuffre. Ms Giuffre alleged she was made to sleep with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17, after being trafficked by Epstein.
Sarah Ferguson has also faced backlash after a 2011 email resurfaced last year in which she described Epstein as a “supreme friend”. Her team later claimed the comment was made under duress. Several charities subsequently severed ties with her.
As the scandal deepens, both Andrew and Sarah are preparing to leave Royal Lodge, their long-time Windsor residence. Andrew is expected to relocate to Sandringham. Meanwhile, Sarah is reportedly house-hunting separately.
Their split living arrangements may signal a permanent shift.
“It will be a very substantial change from this image of them being the world’s most friendly divorced couple,” Fitzwilliams noted.
Royal author Andrew Lownie told Marie Claire that the couple may have accepted their roles as scapegoats in a bid to protect their daughters.
“Everything now is about the daughters,” he said. “The deal is parents will fall on their swords, as long as the daughters are taken care of.”
Read more: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ‘main concern’ over Princess Eugenie and Beatrice amid scandal
So, what do you think of this story? Let us know by commenting on our Royal Insider Facebook page.
