The coming weeks are set to see the Royal Family join together for one of their biggest gatherings of the year – and all eyes will be on if Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie join them
Huge Royal Family gatherings can be few and far between – but the first big get-together of the year is fast approaching. In several weeks’ time, the Firm will celebrate Easter, where they traditionally gather at Windsor Castle and are seen walking to church for the annual Easter Sunday church service at St George’s Chapel.
And this year, all eyes will be on whether Princesses Beatrice or Eugenie join the King and their other royal relatives for the service. The sisters did join the royals for Christmas at Sandringham less than three months ago – despite their parents being forced to stay away due to revelations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson’s relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
But with even more revelations since then and the arrest of the former Duke of York on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, royal expert Jennie Bond believes it might be better for the sisters to stay away from the Easter get together.
The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror : “I’m sure the women care about the damage that has been done to the royal family, and it seems to me that the best way to support their uncle and cousins is to keep their distance for the foreseeable future.
“It might be helpful if they told the King that they are otherwise engaged for Easter and Royal Ascot week, thus relieving him of the dilemma about whether to invite them.
“Like it or not to, they would draw unwelcome press attention to themselves if they were to join the rest of the royals, so it might be better for all involved if they keep a low profile for now.” Since the scandal erupted surrounding their parents, both Beatrice and Eugenie have not spoken out and maintained relatively low profiles.
When Andrew was stripped of his royal titles last October, his daughters remained wholly unaffected and have retained their titles of princess. However, their places in the line of succession have been questioned as their father faces the possibility of being removed after his arrest last month.
Some royal watchers have started to question if Beatrice and Eugenie, as well as their children, would also be removed from the line of succession. Beatrice is currently ninth in line for the throne, while Eugenie is in 12th place behind Beatrice’s children.
According to the Times, removing Andrew from the line of succession is said to be “constitutionally complex” and experts say legislation would have to explicitly state what would happen to his children and grandchildren’s places in the line of succession.
Meanwhile, it has also been suggested in the Epstein files that their mother Fergie took them to visit the paedophile in the days after he was released from jail. And Jennie added: “There’s no denying that questions are now being asked about whether Beatrice and Eugenie ever queried where the family’s money and lavish lifestyle came from.
“What did they think of their parents’ friendship with a man who has been jailed sex offences? How much did they know about Epstein? No-one is suggesting they did anything wrong, but are they slightly tainted by the behaviour of their parents?”
