Prince William has “particular sympathy” for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as the pair continue to deal with the fallout of their parents’ links to Jeffrey Epstein, according to a royal commentator.
King Charles took the unprecedented step to remove Andrew’s royal titles earlier this year due to his ongoing links to the convicted paedophile. Ms Ferguson also gave up her title as the Duchess of York.
Beatrice and Eugenie were not seen in public for a number of weeks after their father’s titles were removed, but they showed a united front as they showed up to the Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace earlier this week.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes that the Prince of Wales will have “sympathy” for the pair, given his experience with his own parents.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attended the Christmas Lunch at Buckingham Palace in good spirits
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GETTYShe said: “He had to endure endless publicity about his parents as he was growing up. Of course the headlines then were for very different reasons: the disintegration of his parents’ marriage.
“But it was still traumatic for a young boy. You have to feel for these young women.
“Whatever you think of their parents, Beatrice and Eugenie have not been accused of doing anything wrong.
“They have had to watch their parents being humiliated and publicly criticised over many years, and yet they have remained close to the rest of the royal family.
“Their Grannie, the late Queen, showed them great affection and the King also seems keen to protect them.
“So I think everyone would have been very welcoming at the Palace lunch. I was pleased to see them looking so bright and happy.”
“I imagine the ‘elephant’ in the room would be any discussion about Andrew and Sarah. That would just be too awkward for all involved.”
Jennie Bond believes Prince William has a lot of sympathy for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
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Bond now believes that the biggest question will be where the sisters will spend Christmas Day itself.
She continued: “Christmas is all about family: so where do they go? Do they show loyalty to their parents – and will their parents even be together on Christmas Day?
“Do they join the rest of the royals at Sandringham? Or do they spend the festivities with their own little families and their in-laws?
“In the end, Christmas is all about children and making it special for them. So I suspect Beatrice and Eugenie will go wherever they feel their little ones will have the most magical time,” she told the Mirror.
Andrew was dealt another hammer blow as he was pictured lying across five women in a new release of the Epstein files.
Ghislaine Maxwell also features in the photo, standing behind the former prince who lies horizontally in a suit.
Documents relating to Epstein were published on the US Department of Justice’s website.
The women’s faces in the image have been hidden.
Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing and his appearance in the image does not suggest any wrongdoing.