Prince William Sends a Clear Message to Senior Royals Amid Andrew Crisis: Report
Insiders claim steps are being taken behind the scenes to prevent further reputational fallout.
Long before the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor crisis became what it was, Prince William is believed to have sounded the alarm, but that plea reportedly fell on everyone’s deaf ears. He also apparently held difficult conversations with the late Queen and the now King Charles. Those early attempts at course-correction, however, did not yield the firewall he had hoped for. But now, the Prince of Wales is said to be shifting from prevention to control — determined to limit the damage as much as possible, even if that means enforcing visible distance within the family.
According to reports, the Prince of Wales, 43, has reportedly advised senior royals against appearing in photographs with the princesses “for the rest of the year.” The move, insiders suggest, is an attempt to shield the working royals from further reputational damage as scrutiny intensifies around the former Duke of York, Page Six reported. The controversy escalated after Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, were reportedly informed they would not be attending this year’s Royal Ascot in June, nor would they participate in the Royal Procession alongside other members of the family.
The Daily Mail reported that the sisters were “blindsided” by the decision. The outlet further claimed that William and Kate Middleton intend to keep their cousins “at arm’s length.”
What might also have triggered the move is that the York sisters are not keeping a low profile, which only leads to more speculation about their stance on their father. Eugenie was photographed skiing in Switzerland just hours before news broke of her father’s arrest. She was spotted in the resort town of Gstaad with her husband, Jack Brooksbank, their two children, their nanny, and friends, according to Hello! magazine. An eyewitness told the publication, “I was surprised to see her because I thought she would be keeping a low profile in light of everything that has been going on.”
Meanwhile, Sarah Ferguson is also reportedly in Switzerland amid heightened scrutiny. The former Duchess of York, 66, has checked into the Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, which the Daily Mail reports costs over $17,500 a night.
While King Charles had reportedly sought to cushion the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie from the worst of the fallout — much of it stemming from their father’s controversies — William appears to be taking a firmer stance.
According to a royal source who spoke to Vanity Fair, discussions about the York sisters’ future roles were already underway in November, even before the most recent developments. “It was something that was being looked at before recent events, but despite what has happened with Andrew, it’s not off the cards. Whatever people might think of Andrew, the girls are kind, hardworking, and want to help if they can,” the source said. The suggestion was that the King had been reluctant to let Mountbatten-Windsor’s troubles permanently define his daughters’ standing within the family.
