Beatrice and Eugenie's enduring 'sisterly bond' exposed in '7-word' message amid scandal
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been stripped of all royal titles and honours
In an emotional moment, Princess Beatrice reportedly issued a “hopeless warning” to her younger sister, Princess Eugenie, about the deepening fallout from their father’s ongoing scandals.
As more emerges about Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s relationship with the criminal financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, their support of each other means more than ever.
The two sisters are said to be navigating a very “complex” emotional time as a duo.
Princess Beatrice issued ‘hopeless warning’ to Eugenie amid Andrew scandal
In November last year, Beatrice and Eugenie were spotted on the streets of London as the scandal surrounding their parents rumbled on.
“It’s going to get harder,” Beatrice reportedly told Eugenie at the time, according to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who analysed footage published by The Sun. “We can’t do anything.”
Despite the weight of their conversation, Beatrice reportedly attempted to comfort her sister.
The 37-year-old was seen gently consoling Eugenie, who responded: “Everything is changing.” Beatrice reportedly agreed it was a “really anxious time”.
Hickling also claims Beatrice reassured Eugenie: “We’re in this together, don’t forget that.”
The sisters ended their walk with a serious exchange on a London street corner and a long embrace before parting ways. Beatrice wore a long black wool coat, while Eugenie was dressed similarly in a tan version.
The global scrutiny against their parents has been reignited further as last week, more than three million files relating to Epstein and his crimes were released by the US Department of Justice.
Within these files, images appeared to show Andrew kneeling on all fours over an unidentified woman lying on the ground.
In two of the images, he is seen touching the person, who is fully clothed, on her stomach. Another image shows him staring at the camera.
No context has been supplied for the images. It’s also unclear when and where they were taken.
Andrew has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Being named or pictured among the Epstein files is not an indication of wrongdoing.
Allegations against Andrew
Andrew has also faced allegations of sexual assault.
Virginia Giuffre alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Andrew when she was just 17.
Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.
Although Andrew reached a financial out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre in 2022, repeated that the settlement did not mean any liability or admission of guilt.
Still, the damage to his public standing has been irrevocable. In a dramatic move, King Charles stripped Andrew of his remaining titles and honours last year, following sustained pressure on the monarchy to draw a hard line.
‘It’s been very, very difficult’
According to the Daily Mail, it was Andrew’s daughters that ultimately convinced him to step back from royal life.
He reportedly agreed to relinquish his titles and vacate Royal Lodge in Windsor in order to shield Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie from further fallout.
“It was made clear to Andrew that, while his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, would also lose her title, there would be no action taken against their daughters,” the outlet reported.
King Charles is said to have personally assured Andrew that his daughters would not lose their royal status.
Meanwhile, royal biographer Ingrid Seward believes King Charles is actively trying to support his nieces through this storm.
“I think that Charles feels quite responsible for these two girls,” she told The Sun.
“I know they’ve got supportive husbands, but they’ve both got young children, and I think it’s been very, very difficult.”
Alissa Anderson, the former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth, echoed this sentiment in an interview with PEOPLE. She stated that the loss of their father’s titles and status will carry long-term emotional consequences.
“Even though they keep their titles, the ripple effect will have consequences for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Meanwhile, Andrew has endured another blow, as he has left Royal Lodge. He now awaits the renovation of his reported new abode, Marsh Farm.
Royal Insider has contacted Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s representatives for comment.
Read more: Sarah Ferguson’s ‘shocking remarks about women in the royal family’ laid bare in Epstein emails
What do you think? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsider. We want to know your thoughts!
