As Prince Andrew relocates to Norfolk following the latest Jeffrey Epstein file revelations, sources say daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are ‘aghast’ and ‘mortified’ by their parents’ links to the disgraced financier
The family of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is under intense scrutiny due to his longstanding ties with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Both he and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have been stripped of their titles and evicted from the Royal Lodge in Windsor, while their daughter, Princess Eugenie, has reportedly distanced herself from her scandal-ridden father.
Andrew is expected to be banished to Norfolk imminently, coinciding with the release of a new batch of damning Epstein documents. One photograph from these files depicts a man, believed to be Andrew, crouching over a young woman lying on the floor.
Screenshots and scans from this document dump suggest that Andrew had corresponded with Epstein about a “beautiful” Russian woman and extended an invitation to him to visit Buckingham Palace in August 2010.
In an email exchange from August 2010, two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and served 13 months in a work-release programme, the financier wrote: “I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with.
“The Duke” responded: “Of course. I am in Geneva until the morning of 22nd but would be delighted to see her. Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch. A.”, reports the Mirror.
In reply to a redacted email, “The Duke” asked: “Great. Any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know? Like what have you told her about me and have you given her my email as well?”.
Epstein then writes: “She 26, russian, clevere beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email.” The email account labelled “The Duke” replies: “That was quick! How are you? Good to be free?”. Epstein says: “(redacted).. great to be free of many things.”
The exchange concludes with “The Duke” saying: “So many opportunities that I am frustratingly not allowed to participate in. And so many that are obvious but can’t get anyone to fire on. Must come and see you sometime soon.”
Being mentioned in the files does not automatically suggest misconduct and Andrew has consistently and vehemently denied any impropriety linked to Epstein.
Until recently, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are reported to have maintained a strong relationship with their parents. However, they’ve undoubtedly faced challenging decisions about whether to support the contentious pair or maintain connections with the Royal Family.
According to sources, Princess Eugenie has entirely severed communication with her father, and even celebrated Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family instead of with her parents Andrew and Fergie at Windsor. The princess established the Anti-Slavery Collective to combat sex trafficking.
But whilst Eugenie appears to be maintaining distance from her father, her elder sister Beatrice was recently seen on the Windsor estate as she and her daughter Sienna accompanied the former prince for an equestrian lesson. She has remained loyal to her father throughout the years during various controversies, and even played a role in arranging Andrew’s catastrophic Newsnight interview that was meant to vindicate him.
The Princess also recently welcomed her parents to her youngest daughter’s christening.
However, behind the scenes, Royal expert Andrew Lownie suggests not everything appears as it does, and that family relationships are considerably more complex. Lownie suspects Andrew may have only consented to leaving Royal Lodge in an attempt to protect his daughters and guarantee they could continue as royals whilst enjoying the benefits that accompany such status.
The couple’s daughters are reportedly ‘aghast’ at the revelations. A source close to Eugenie and Beatrice told the Daily Mail: “They are aghast at what they have read. They are mortified by the emails their mother has sent to Epstein. It is so embarrassing for them.
“We don’t believe the girls were told much about what has just emerged [in the latest Epstein files release], and they will simply be aghast at just how close their parents were to this appalling man.”
An insider revealed to the Daily Mail that the ‘distance’ is mutual as Andrew is keen to protect his children and ensure they “are not tainted by his difficulties.”
The source added, “He is keeping his distance from them,” and shared that both Beatrice and Eugenie “feel very sorry” for their parents. “Both Andrew and Sarah want their daughters to remain part of the Royal Family and were happy for them to spend Christmas in Norfolk.”
Royal commentator and author Duncan Larcombe weighed in, stating that while Beatrice and Eugenie are entirely innocent in their parents’ dealings with Epstein, they have been significantly affected by the aftermath. “It’s sad because in many ways, Beatrice and Eugenie are two more victims of Jeffrey Epstein.
“They have done nothing wrong and yet they have been forced to sit and watch as their parents are torn to pieces by their own behaviours. It appears that the close-knit family unit of Andrew, Fergie and their children, when they all used to stay as one happy family, has disintegrated just like his title of Prince. He’s lost them both.”
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