Princess Beatrice Looked Stunning in her Latest Outing — But People Think It’s a Big Marketing Fail
Princess Beatrice seems to have channeled Kate Middleton’s savvy fashion sense recently when she attended a First Abu Dhabi Bank launch event on August 10. In photos shared on social media, the Princess of York looked elegant in a white blazer and ME+EM dress, a brand long favored by the Princess of Wales. Sadly, many royal watchers viewed her appearance as a major marketing misstep, given that her parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, are currently facing explosive allegations of money laundering and dubious financial dealings.
Beatrice attended the opening of the new London branch for the UAE’s largest bank. The event’s press release came just days after serialized excerpts from royal author Andrew Lownie’s new book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, were made public. As reported by the Daily Beast, one of the book’s many troubling claims was a 2019 payment of approximately $950,000 deposited into Andrew’s bank account by a Turkish fraudster, identified as a 'gift' for Beatrice’s wedding. Lownie also detailed other alleged murky business dealings by Andrew and Ferguson to make a quick profit.
Concerning Andrew, Lownie mentioned that after stepping down from royal duties in 2019, the Duke of York maintained his 'lavish' lifestyle through alleged discreet 'under-the-radar' activities. In an excerpt in the Daily Mail, the author explained that the Prince allegedly played a key role in securing millions, possibly even billions of pounds in business for British companies over the years. According to Lownie, Andrew was reportedly "conducting business of his own," including the sale of his Sunninghill Park estate, a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth, to Kazakh oil and gas tycoon Timur Kulibayev. Lownie further claimed that Andrew acted "as a fixer for a foreign consortium that wanted to build water and sewage networks in Kazakhstan," raking in nearly $5.1 million in commission.
The Duchess of York also couldn't escape the sting of Lownie’s bombshell allegations. As per the Daily Beast, the book claimed that Ferguson reportedly amassed nearly $5 million in debt with her lavish lifestyle, exploiting her royal status to avoid paying bills. Her alleged lack of financial responsibility even reportedly led to the late Queen cutting her off and confiscating her fuel payment card. Lownie revealed that, despite the loans, the Duchess adopted a strategy of denial, continuing to rack up vast bills at high-end stores like Harrods. While in New York, she would allegedly 'breeze out' of five-star establishments, leaving the Palace to settle her accounts.
Coming back to Beatrice’s sweet nod to Middleton, the Princess of York and the Princess of Wales are believed to share a good relationship, despite Middleton’s alleged disdain for Andrew. An insider offered insight into their bond, telling Life & Style, "The sisters [Beatrice and Eugenie] really do look up to Kate. They appreciate her easy-going but firm mothering style — how she gracefully handles situations, especially when things get difficult." Beatrice and Middleton have also been spotted smiling and mingling together during major royal events.