A royal biographer has revealed that senior members of the British royal family are struggling to decide the future role of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, as well as their mother Sarah Ferguson, in the wake of Prince Andrew's arrest over the Epstein files scandal.
Royal rift over York sisters
Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, told Woman's Day that King Charles and Prince William are divided on how to handle the York sisters and their mother. He described the situation as "a problem" within the family.
According to Lownie, Beatrice and Eugenie have been excluded from some royal events, such as the upcoming Ascot Races in June, but invited to others, including Peter Phillips' wedding next weekend. This inconsistency has created a "yo-yo" effect for the sisters, who swing in and out of royal favor.
"One moment they're going to things, and the next they're cut out," Lownie explained, adding that their constant drifting in and out of favor reflects a "fight" between the senior royals.
Two sides of the debate
Lownie claims that Prince William, Queen Camilla, and Princess Kate Middleton are on one side of the debate, while King Charles is on the other. "Charles is a bit weaker and thinks, 'Oh well, the girls can't be blamed, they're okay,'" Lownie said.
The biographer suggested that if Beatrice and Eugenie "were sensible," they would "just cut loose themselves" and give up their royal titles. However, he noted that such a move could be detrimental to their careers, which rely heavily on their royal status. "It's all client relations, it's all about bringing in people that they meet through their royal connections," he added.
Prince Andrew's legal troubles
Last month, Thames Valley Police announced an investigation into Prince Andrew over potential sexual offences. Detectives are broadening their probe into the former Duke of York's time in public office, considering other offenses he was accused of in the Epstein files, including abuse of position, sexual misconduct, and corruption.
Additionally, officials are investigating an incident at Royal Ascot in 2002, where Andrew allegedly behaved inappropriately towards a waitress working during Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee year, as reported by The Sunday Times.
This development comes nearly four months after Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and held in a police station for 12 hours on his 66th birthday. He continues to deny any wrongdoing.
