Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York, are reportedly feeling the impact of their father’s mounting scandals as the royal family faces renewed scrutiny.
Last Friday, Andrew, 55, announced he would relinquish his royal title as Duke of York and other honors amid new allegations related to his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The move followed the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, which includes fresh accusations against the prince.
London’s Metropolitan Police are also investigating newly leaked emails suggesting Andrew asked his personal protection officer to dig up damaging information about Giuffre.
Meanwhile, Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson — mother to Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35 — has been hit with her own backlash after a leaked email surfaced showing her praising Epstein, despite having publicly denounced him years earlier. Several UK charities have since severed ties with her.
“The York brand is truly toxic”
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that Beatrice and Eugenie must now work harder to define themselves independently of their parents’ controversies.
“The challenge for Beatrice and Eugenie in this close-knit family is to carve separate roles from their disgraced parents,” Fitzwilliams said. “They are well-adjusted and have careers as well as doing charitable work. However, the York brand is truly toxic.”
He added that the situation could worsen as Giuffre’s memoir gains attention. “This will not be easy,” he warned.
Royal analyst Amanda Matta said the sisters are seen as “innocent victims” and “collateral damage” in their father’s ongoing downfall. “They’re aware enough of the weight of the scandal to lie low for now,” she said, noting the pair skipped the British Museum Pink Ball last weekend.
“Their father’s distancing from royal duties and titles affects perceptions of the entire family,” Matta continued. “Even if Beatrice and Eugenie have behaved impeccably, it can influence how charities or brands want to engage with them.”
Sources close to the sisters say they remain supportive of Andrew, who now leans heavily on them for emotional support.
Private lives and professional independence
Neither Beatrice nor Eugenie are working royals. Beatrice serves as Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at U.S.-based AI company Afiniti. She is married to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, an Italian property developer, with whom she shares daughter Sienna, 4.
Eugenie is a director at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery and co-founder of the Anti-Slavery Collective, which raises awareness of modern slavery. She married businessman Jack Brooksbank in 2018, and they share two sons, August, 4, and Ernest, 2.
Both sisters’ children use their fathers’ surnames, reflecting their parents’ wish to raise them outside the formal royal system.
Titles remain — but royal visibility could fade
Despite Andrew and Sarah losing their titles, Beatrice and Eugenie retain the style “Her Royal Highness” as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth II. Matta said the sisters will likely continue to appear at private royal events but play a limited public role.
“They’ll still be seen at family gatherings, but their visibility will be far lower,” she said. “They may attend high-profile occasions, but their proximity to the Crown will continue to fade.”
Still, Matta noted the sisters maintain a “warm” relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton, who are seen as the future of the monarchy. “They’ve represented the family at events like garden parties and have stepped in when needed,” she said.
“Exemplary examples” of modern royals
Royal photographer Ian Pelham Turner said the sisters have earned public sympathy, especially after supporting the monarchy during King Charles III and Kate Middleton’s health challenges.
“Most commentators feel sorry for Beatrice and Eugenie — they are well-behaved, professional, and have stepped up in tough times,” Turner said. “They’re exemplary examples of how modern-day royals should behave.”
Andrew and Ferguson under pressure
While the sisters may emerge with their reputations intact, experts say the same cannot be said for their parents.
Giuffre’s memoir revives allegations that Andrew sexually abused her when she was 17 — claims he denies. Newly leaked emails suggest he asked aides to dig up U.S. records on Giuffre before the release of a 2011 photo showing them together. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed they are reviewing the claims.
Buckingham Palace is reportedly treating the matter with “great concern.”
Andrew has already stepped back from royal life following his disastrous 2019 BBC interview and settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. In his statement last week, he said:
“I have decided to put my duty to my family and country first. I will no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Still, commentators say public pressure is growing for King Charles to strip Andrew of his remaining privileges.
Sarah Ferguson’s latest setback
Ferguson, too, has faced renewed criticism after leaked emails from 2011 showed her calling Epstein a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” — despite earlier publicly disowning him. Several organizations have since dropped her as patron.
Matta said Ferguson will find it difficult to recover her public image without her royal association. “Her connection to the institution was her brand,” she explained. “Without it, she’ll have to rebuild public interest organically.”
Despite the controversies, Ferguson remains close to Andrew. The pair still share a residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park and continue to appear together at private family gatherings.
Turner said the family’s bond remains unshaken: “All three women — Sarah, Beatrice, and Eugenie — will be deeply worried about Andrew’s mental health and will rally around to support him.”
