Prince William Reportedly Left Fuming as Charles Sends 'Mixed Messages' on Beatrice & Eugenie's Fate
Fresh claims about Beatrice and Eugenie are putting the spotlight back on King Charles and reported royal family tensions.
As Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s wedding nears, several questions are swirling regarding the guest list. Reportedly, senior royals such as King Charles and Prince William will be in attendance, and of course, Phillips’ mother, Princess Anne. Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice were also believed to be included on the big day, but it seems like they are no longer in the picture.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also among those who have not been sent an invite, though it does not come as a surprise, given the couple’s distance from royal events. However, Beatrice and Eugenie are also now said to be sitting this one out, despite earlier expectations that they would be there. According to one royal expert, the latest twist is part of a bigger pattern that has left the York sisters caught between being welcomed into the royal fold and being kept at arm’s length.
Andrew Lownie, the author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, told Woman’s Day that senior royals appear divided over where the York sisters fit within the family’s public role. In his view, the uncertainty surrounding them has become “a problem.” Lownie also pointed to another recent royal talking point involving Beatrice and Eugenie, reports that the sisters had been told they would not be joining the family at Royal Ascot in June. Since the races have long been a staple on the royal calendar, the alleged decision was even more surprising. But the expert acknowledges that the shadow of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandals still looms large and continues to affect how his daughters fit into royal life.
The royal author described life for Beatrice and Eugenie after their father’s Epstein-related scandal as a constant back-and-forth. He told the publication that the sisters appear to be dangled to and fro, saying, “One moment they’re going to things, and the next they’re cut out.” He believes there is a wider tug-of-war at play, with William, Camilla, and Kate on one side and Charles on the other.
Lownie added, “Charles is a bit weaker and thinks, ‘Oh well, that you know the girls can’t be blamed, they’re okay’.” He suggested that the sisters would be better off stepping away from the uncertainty altogether and “cut loose themselves.” He explained, “They would say, ‘I’m giving up my title and just going to concentrate on my family and my career.”
He went on to compare the situation to Sarah Ferguson’s return to royal events after years on the sidelines, arguing it sends mixed signals. “As soon as Philip’s dead, she’s going to Wimbledon and Ascot, and Charles is kissing her hand. And I think it drives William nuts, because, you know, it’s a very mixed message that’s going to be sent out.” Charles may feel sympathy toward the York family, Lownie suggested, and said that “it’s a cruel way to behave to them, and it sends out such mixed messages, and it makes him look weak.” Whether the sisters ultimately attend Peter Phillips' wedding or not, the debate over their place within the royal fold shows no sign of disappearing. As long as Andrew's controversies continue to cast a shadow over the family, questions about where Beatrice and Eugenie fit within the monarchy are likely to follow.
