Prince William is ‘calling the shots’ following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest

The Royal Family have been dealing with the fallout from the Epstein files

Prince William is calling the shots for the Royal Family following the arrest of his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, according to a royal author.

The former Duke of York was arrested on his 66th birthday last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office during his time as trade envoy for the UK.

Andrew has been exiled to the Sandringham Estate following the sensational removal of his royal titles by King Charles, and being forced to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge.

Royal author, Andrew Lownie, has claimed that following the arrest: “William, I think, is calling more of the shots now. So there’s definitely a change going on, and I get the sense also that there’s a bit of distancing even from the Sussexes, clearly from the Waleses.”

Prince William is calling the shots, according to Andrew Lownie

He went on to speak about Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, and that they have reportedly been told that they are unable to attend Royal Ascot later this year.

He continued: “I think the decision to ban them from Ascot is interesting. The line that they’re pushing is that they were never going to go to Ascot in the first place, and it does seem odd to be so public about this distancing.

“They could have just quietly said to them, ‘Listen, you know, please don’t turn up’. So, I think it is a very clear indication that the Royal Family either know something or suspect something, and they therefore feel the need to distance themselves from the daughters.

“Now, this could be pressure from William. Charles may be changing his mind. He has been, of course, very sympathetic to them over the last few months,” he said on The Lownie Report Podcast.

A former BBC royal correspondent has claimed that Beatrice and Eugenie should “give up” their titles.

She told the Mirror: “I don’t think either of them has ever flaunted their titles, but there’s obviously a huge cachet in some circles about being called a princess.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have been urged to drop their royal titles by former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond | GETTY“A title like that opens doors and sets up connections, which both Beatrice and Eugenie have used to their advantage.

“There’s nothing wrong in that, but now that their father has been stripped of his titles and their mother can no longer use hers, they might like to quietly drop the use of theirs.

“I don’t see the need for them to renounce them publicly, but it might be prudent to sever links with the York name — now so very tarnished —and just use their married names.”

Sources have claimed that Beatrice and Eugenie continue to maintain residences within royal palaces under an arrangement made by their father.

The 37-year-old Beatrice holds an apartment at St James’s Palace, while her younger sister Eugenie, 35, occupies Ivy Cottage, a three-bedroom residence at Kensington Palace.

A source told The Times: “The [rental] deal was made with their father as he wanted them to have a foothold in the royal palaces.”

Andrew has not been seen since he was released from Aylsham police station last month

| REUTERSMs Bond continued: “I can’t see the King stripping them of their titles — unless they become implicated in some sort of abuse of their status, of which there is no evidence at present.

“But this is a difficult time for both women and they might do well to keep their heads down and get on with their jobs and family lives.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has always strongly denied any wrongdoing, and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Princess Beatrice or Eugenie.