The royal sisters are reportedly caught in a ‘tug-of-love’ after King Charles invited them to Sandringham for Christmas, as they navigate a potentially awkward situation with their parents
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are facing a ‘tug-of-love’ dilemma following King Charles’ Christmas invitation to Sandringham. The King has reportedly invited the sisters to the Royal residence – raising questions over where the sisters should be as they navigate a difficult situation with their parents.
With their dad Andrew Windsor having been stripped of his titles, and mum Sarah Ferguson largely shut out from the public-facing Royal establishment, Beatrice and Eugenie are torn between institutional pressures on one side and family loyalty on the other.
The circumstances have evolved into a “logistical and emotional nightmare” for the pair, are said to retain their allegiance to the King, while also having loyalty to their parents, according to the Mail on Sunday.
One insider described the awkward situation as a ‘tug-of-love’ – with the dilemma thought to be especially intense for Princess Beatrice.
The source reportedly told the Mail on Sunday: “Beatrice is feeling particularly under pressure as she feels she ‘has to be in three places at once’ on Christmas Day.”
Her favoured choice is thought to be to remain at her new Cotswolds home with her interior designer husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, their children, and her mother. Simultaneously, she is said to feel a diplomatic obligation to join the wider Royal Family at the King’s Norfolk estate.
Complicating matters further is her bond with her father. The source disclosed that Beatrice feels pressure to spend what might be a last Christmas at Royal Lodge with Andrew, despite his fall from grace over the Epstein scandal.
“Unless she makes a decision to pick one side and one side only, she will spend a lot of time in the car,” the source added. “Overall it falls to the princesses to soothe family divisions. They are struggling with Christmas.”
Princess Eugenie, in contrast, is understood to feel less torn. Now residing mainly in Portugal with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their children, she remains both geographically and emotionally distanced from much of the immediate turmoil.
The source added: “Eugenie was tempted to stay in Portugal with her family and husband Jack Brooksbank. She is so settled there, far from all the drama.”
Andrew Windsor’s standing within the Royal Family has been uncertain for several years. Following his disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019 and the subsequent civil lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in early 2022.
Andrew has consistently denied allegations that he had sex with Giuffre when she was 17, and reached a civil settlement with her reportedly worth £12 million, with no admission of liability.
In October, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew would lose his royal titles and vacate his residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor. King Charles has initiated a “formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew,” who will henceforth be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, according to palace officials.
The Royal Family also revealed that Andrew would voluntarily stop using the Duke of York title and relinquish his honours as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
However, in line with King George V’s letters patent of 1917, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, as daughters of a monarch’s son, will retain their royal titles.
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