Andrew's Last Royal Allies Are Giving Up on Him — and It All Comes Down to Beatrice and Eugenie
As a mark of solidarity, the former Duke of York recently attended the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials in support of this senior royal.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's royal support system is diminishing by the day. After courting controversy with his alleged involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, the former Duke of York lost not only his titles but also his residence and dignity. He officially moved to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate in April this year. While there, he was visited by two of the most senior working royals who have still stood by him. However, one of them is claimed to have had enough with Mountbatten-Windsor's tantrums and selfish nature, which involves pushing his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, up the ranks.
Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, made a courtesy visit when other relatives from the royal fold had largely shunned the disgraced former prince amid his recent legal troubles. The former Duke of York, in return, recently attended the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials in support of Sophie. However, an expert has claimed that the Duchess of Edinburgh completely "loathes" him, which was apparent when she ignored Mountbatten-Windsor at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent last year.
The Daily Mail's Ephraim Hardcastle revealed that before Mountbatten-Windsor's downfall, the York sisters were viewed as assets in becoming potential working royals due to the King's fondness for them. In the meantime, he lobbied for their inclusion in royal duties alongside Prince William and others. However, to accommodate the monarch's desire for a smaller chain of management, he suggested against promoting Edward and Sophie's children, Lady Louise and James. According to Hardcastle, this gave rise to "quite a regal ding-dong," and the Duchess hasn't quite recovered from the same, the Express UK reported.
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh decided against using royal titles for their children at birth and have opted not to use them even when the children are eligible at age 18. Lady Louise earned a major honor by graduating with a degree in English literature and International Relations from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She followed Prince William and Kate Middleton while keeping a low profile during her days as a student. It has been reported that she will be taking a gap year before pursuing other interests.
The York sisters, on the other hand, were banned from almost all of the royal events this year, including the Royal Ascot. They were publicly photographed attending their cousin Peter Philips' wedding last month. Princess Eugenie is currently expecting her third child. It had been earlier reported that she had quietly relinquished her role as patron of Anti-Slavery International in March 2026 after almost seven years of advocacy.
Another piece of news that drew significant criticism from royal watchers was the fact that King Charles was funding the rent for the York sisters. This led to a divided public reaction, prompting the King to release his tax statements for the first time. As per the latest developments, a team of detectives will soon be traveling to the United States to meet Virginia Giuffre's family to investigate the alleged relationship with Andrew. The former Duke of York continues to deny any involvement.
