Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will not be attending the royal family’s traditional service at Easter on Sunday, it has been revealed.
The sisters, who are the daughters of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, have regularly attended the Matins service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor in the past.
However, they have increasingly withdrawn from public life following revelations about their parents’ friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
HELLO! understands that, with the agreement and understanding of The King, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have made alternative plans for this Easter. However, they are very much part of the family, as seen during their recent appearance at Christmas in Sandringham, and will be seen at future family celebrations. Meanwhile, it is expected the Prince and Princess of Wales will attend.
In January, the US Department of Justice released three million further documents in the so-called Epstein files, with emails showing Sarah took her daughters to visit Epstein shortly after he was released from prison in 2011.
The sisters also didn’t attend Cheltenham Racing Festival earlier this month, as they have in previous years. Easter is, traditionally, one of the highlights of the royal calendar and offers a chance to see members of the extended family.
So far, King Charles and Queen Camilla are confirmed to be attending, and it’s understood they will be joined by other members of The Firm.
How Beatrice and Eugenie are dealing with the crisis
It comes after HELLO! revealed that the York sisters have been invited to Royal Ascot later in the year, contrary to reports claiming they had been shunned from the event. In addition, it is understood that senior family members have continued to check in with them.
“The question is, would they want to go to a public event of that nature?” asked a friend of the sisters. “They will get criticism whether they go or not – and not just that event. They just can’t win. Bea has found the scrutiny very hard, especially the strain of the past few weeks. “It has felt as though things have been in freefall, and she’s being hammered and bullied by commentators.
“Bea is keeping calm and carrying on. She learnt a lot from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. This is a family in turmoil, but Bea is working hard; the juggle of full-time work and being a parent is her main priority, in order to keep herself mentally strong and her life moving.”
Retreating from public life
Beatrice and Eugenie were last seen in public with the royal family at the Christmas Day service in Sandringham, after their father was stripped of his remaining royal titles in October. However, they have both been spotted in London in recent weeks, with Eugenie enjoying a birthday dinner with her husband, Jack Brooksbank, at the River Cafe.
© GettyBeatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, were also spotted at the Eel Sushi restaurant following reports of “distance” in their marriage. The couple shares daughters Sienna, three, and Athena, one. Beatrice is also mother to a step-son, Wolfie, from Edo’s previous relationship with architect Dara Huang.
A friend previously told us: “The only things that Bea and Edo are navigating are their busy jobs and looking after their children. Like so many working parents, they have to balance work with looking after the kids. Recent reports that things aren’t good between them are not true at all. Things are great between them, and the only distance between them recently has been physical distance, because of work.”
Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on his 66th birthday in February.
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