Beatrice and Eugenie’s ‘final goodbye’ as King Charles eyes ‘ban’ from royal events

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have been banned from attending royal events by King Charles, as the monarch seeks to distance himself from the Epstein scandal

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The two sisters have titles despite not being working royals(Image: PA)

Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are persona non grata at royal events, but now their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie also appear set to be pushed out into the wilderness.

Long before Andrew’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, the King had been maintaining him, largely, away from public view. Apart from a family funeral, Andrew had not been seen publicly alongside the rest of the family for some time. Last October, prior to the publication of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre’s, posthumous memoir, the King declared in a scathing statement that “notwithstanding” Andrew’s denials of wrongdoing, he would be officially stripping his royal titles and styles. The storm cloud of scandal hanging over the monarchy has only intensified since then.

King Charles might have thrown his weight behind survivors and taken drastic measures to separate his wayward younger brother from the Royal Family, but the publication of the Epstein files by the US Department of Justice has only reignited the controversy once more.

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Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice with their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Fresh photographs have surfaced that seem to depict Andrew with young women – whose identities have been redacted, alongside an image of paedophile Epstein with Peter Mandelson, and the former Prince Andrew. And it appears that with Andrew banished to Sandringham, his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are now beginning to feel the pressure as well. Initially it appeared the siblings would remain untainted by the controversy engulfing their parents. Beatrice was even named deputy patron of Outward Bound, joining a reception to celebrate the appointment with her uncle Prince Edward back in November at St. James’s Palace – but within mere months, circumstances have become considerably more grave for the sisters.

During the festive season, it appeared very much like normal service for the York siblings, who joined the yearly luncheon in London with their royal family members, before accompanying King Charles and the senior royals to church on Christmas Day.

However, it has now emerged that given the continuing furore – which has seen their own connections to the disgraced financier scrutinised and questions regarding their involvement with Epstein raised – they are confronting a royal exclusion.

Neither Princess Beatrice nor Eugenie will be participating in Royal Ascot, it has been alleged, and the prohibition from royal occasions may extend even further it has been suggested, preventing them from joining the Easter Sunday church service with the Windsors, and barring them from attending any royal garden parties that are scheduled.

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The pair are set to appear less at Royal events (Image: PA)

According to a royal insider, King Charles believes that having his nieces at such public occasions would not benefit the Firm’s reputation during such a turbulent period. Speaking of Royal Ascot, the royal insider told the i Paper: “They might attend the races among the crowd but they can’t be seen in the royal carriage procession with all this going on.”

Royal biographer Russell Myers added that whilst Prince William had previously invited his cousins to help him and his wife Catherine host a garden party at Buckingham Palace, it seems almost certain that this summer he will be following his father’s lead: “He can’t be seen to be acting out of turn against the King,” he said, “and there is no indication that he wants to.”

The King’s dilemma

Whilst King Charles is understood to hold great affection for his nieces, given the ongoing situation, he has reportedly been left with no choice but to maintain distance to safeguard the reputation of The Firm. An insider told the Daily Mail: “Beatrice and Eugenie are particularly vulnerable at the moment.

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As they are dragged further into the Epstein web, the King is shifting his stance on the girls’ future. Although they aren’t implicated in any of Epstein’s wrongdoings, their own association with him threatens to tarnish the reputation of the throne.” According to the report, their uncle’s public reticence has added further distress for the princesses, who are already grappling with the fallout of their father’s arrest, on top of the repeated references made in relation to the York family in the Epstein Files. However, both sisters are believed to be coping with this in very different manners.