King Charles’ Christmas Walk Reminds the World of the Windsors’ Oldest and Worst ‘Instinct’
A royal editor argues that by publicly supporting Beatrice and Eugenie, King Charles risks reopening old wounds rather than projecting stability.
Watched closely by many, the annual Christmas church walk has long been one of the most carefully rehearsed royal traditions. This year, however, the tone was drastically different as King Charles stepped out with his nieces, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Given that their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, is currently embroiled in controversy over the newly released Epstein Files, experts suggest that by including the York sisters in the festivities, the monarch repeated his past mistake with the disgraced royal.
Just a couple of days ago, the US Department of Justice released thousands of images and emails connected to the disgraced financier. While the disclosures did not change facts that have been clear for years, they once again brought the former Duke of York's fall from grace back into the spotlight. Writing for the Daily Beast, royal editor Tom Sykes argued, “To parade Andrew’s daughters days after fresh revelations linking him once again to Epstein, Maxwell, and other unspeakable figures such as Peter Nygard is not an act of kindness. It is a catastrophic misreading of the national mood.”
According to a source close to the family, the sisters' presence at the walk was not accidental. Sykes cites an insider in his write-up and suggests that their appearance at the King’s pre-Christmas was a calculated test to see how the public would react. “It was essentially a softening-up exercise for them to join Charles and William on the walk to church on Christmas Day,” he wrote. That strategic prediction proved to be correct, and the lack of public pushback appears to have factored into the Palace’s decision to include the two. And Sykes is definitely not in favor of this, noting that the King has pulled the same move earlier as well. He dubbed it the Windsors’ worst 'instinct,' that when faced with scandal, 'they close ranks.'
While Mountbatten-Windsor was absent during the late Queen Elizabeth’s last Christmas, he did make an appearance in Charles's first as King. In 2023, he and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, joined the royal family for the walk. As per Sykes, “It was a disaster, provoking fury and disbelief.” He opined that the monarch has once again repeated the same mistake by “laundering Andrew’s disgrace through his daughters.” With the credibility of the monarchy already under question, the expert highlighted that “this is not a moment for provocation, tone-deaf displays of family loyalty.” Instead, Sykes suggested, “The simplest, smartest course would have been for Beatrice and Eugenie to stay away, quietly, without drama.”
The sisters' appearance alongside the rest of the royals came as a huge surprise for many. Earlier reports had suggested that both Eugenie and Beatrice are facing a major Christmas dilemma: whether to join the royal family for the holidays or spend the festivities with their parents at Royal Lodge. Some outlets also suggested that Beatrice was going abroad on a ski holiday with her husband and kids to avoid making the hard decision. But, once again showcasing their loyalty to the Firm, the sisters chose duty over family.
