What happened to former Prince Andrew’s daughters after the Epstein scandal

E-mails suggest that Andrew maintained contact with Epstein After a difficult week, it is possible to say, without exaggeration, how complicated the situation in which former UK prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, find themselves is. But increasingly, it seems like it’s a situation her daughters can’t escape either. Newly released emails indicate that Jeffrey Epstein had a greater presence than previously thought in the lives of princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. One of the exchanges suggests that they had lunch with him in Miami, just days after his release from prison for teenage prostitution. In another excerpt, it appears that they were called by him to entertain his contacts and give guided tours of Buckingham Palace. Released emails show that Jeffrey Epstein had a greater presence than previously thought in the lives of princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Hannah McKay/Reuters For Beatrice, now 37, and Eugenie, 35, these new revelations could put their future in question. “It will raise public questions about what they were doing,” says royal commentator Richard Palmer. But royal journalist Victoria Murphy says that although the emails make “really very uncomfortable reading”, there is still sympathy for the princesses. And there’s no doubt that seeing a photo apparently of your father on all fours, crouched over a young girl, can only be deeply embarrassing. Andrew has always denied any accusations, and being named in Epstein’s files is not an indication of wrongdoing. So, after the York family brand was dragged through the mud, where do the princesses now fit within the Royal Family? ‘Difficulty distancing yourself’ from Epstein Both princesses are mentioned repeatedly in the latest release of Epstein’s files. Media reports about the supposed lunch in Miami often referred to “the girls,” suggesting they were younger than they actually were. At the time of the visit, Eugenie was 19 and Beatrice was 21. “They were not five-year-old girls when they were taken to see Epstein. They were adults,” argues author Andrew Lownie, who wrote the book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York (still untranslated in Portuguese) about Andrew. “There’s a big campaign to say they’re innocents caught in the crossfire, but they’re not, they’re deeply involved.” But Murphy disagrees with that version, arguing that it’s understandable to wonder why they accepted it. “It’s easy to criticize this decision now that Epstein’s crimes are in the public eye, but if no one warned them at the time, it’s easy to understand why they simply accepted the trip organized by their mother.” The advantages of being friends with Jeffrey Epstein are also evident. An exchange of messages between Epstein and his assistant appears to suggest that he paid for the family’s plane tickets, totaling “$14,080.10 for all tickets.” But not everything was one-sided. On several occasions, Epstein appears to ask Sarah Ferguson if her daughters can meet people, and on one occasion he appears to ask them to show Buckingham Palace to the person whose name has been withheld. On one occasion, Sarah Ferguson apologizes, saying that they were not present and explaining where they were. In another message exchange, a person named “Sarah” appears to be referring to Eugenie’s love life, saying she is returning from a “sex weekend.” In some of the emails, Epstein’s contacts also refer to the princesses. One email, sent to Epstein by a friend, says: “I just spoke to the Duchess of Pork. She is at an extravagant lunch with Beatrice. I just introduced myself to her. Said I know her father (barely) and how fantastic he is… more details later.” Representatives for Sarah Ferguson have been contacted for comment. But for Palmer, the repeated mentions of both princesses in the emails “make it difficult to distance yourself” from the saga. “There is no avoiding the links between the Yorks and Epstein,” he says. ‘Keep a low profile’ Neither sister works as a royal. Both are married, have children and their own careers. But, like other royals, the two princesses also have philanthropic initiatives. Eugenie co-founded the Anti-Slavery Collective, a charity whose focus includes victims of sex trafficking. “It is an absurdly inadequate cause for [Eugenie] to get involved,” said Lownie. According to the most recent records available, donations have plummeted – from £1.5 million in 2024 to £48,000 in 2025, although the charity has a considerable amount in reserves. No income was raised from events or auctions in the year to 2025, compared with the previous financial year when a large charity gala was held. The charity said it hopes to hold a similar gala event every three years. But an industry source said it is “difficult from an image perspective to do anything high profile again.” “As expected, the event is keeping a low profile,” they added. BBC News has contacted Anti-Slavery Collective several times for comment in light of the latest controversy involving Andrew and Epstein, but has not heard back. Princess Beatrice is involved with the group “in her honorary role as Vice Patron.” But the Salvation Army, which has a long-standing partnership with Eugenie, has taken a more cautious tone. “We put victims and survivors at the center of all our decisions and are closely following this story,” said a spokesperson. In addition to their charitable work, the princesses also have jobs. Hauser & Wirth. The company has recently faced legal challenges relating to alleged violations of Russian sanctions, although it strongly denies these allegations. also recently appeared in a promotional photo for a UAE bank. Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, were also involved in some of her father’s business activities. They were present at Pitch@Palace, Andrew’s startup network, and were photographed meeting the then Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2020, alongside her parents. and the contacts provided by her parents, “getting to know all sorts of business contacts and members of royal families abroad.” Their own family lives – and the royal family in general Both princesses have wealthy, independent husbands, and two children each. Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, is a property developer, descended from Italian nobility, while Eugenie’s, Jack Brooksbank, has worked in hospitality and marketing. and an apartment at St James’s Palace. Eugenie lives between Portugal and Ivy Cottage in the gardens of Kensington Palace. It is understood that the princesses pay rent for their royal properties. But the Palace has not confirmed whether the amount is paid in line with the market. it means he is no longer close to his daughters and grandchildren. Currently, Sarah Ferguson’s whereabouts are unknown, although there is speculation that she may move to Portugal to live with her youngest daughter. In private, the princesses maintain contact with their parents, says Palmer. “From what I understand, they still risk the toxicity spreading.” more for them.” When Andrew lost his titles, Beatrice and Eugenie kept theirs. There was also no change in the line of succession. But some have questioned what their place is now within the royal family. The sisters have always been considered close to the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex and have shared what it’s like growing up in the spotlight. There are reports that Eugenie was particularly close to Harry and traveled to California to visit him. Footage from Harry and Meghan’s documentary showed her watching the Super Bowl, riding a bike with her cousin and playing with his son, Archie, on the beach. Just like Harry, Beatrice and Eugenie now find themselves on the family fringes. But even in recent years, with their father’s disgrace hanging over them, they continued to attend and participate in royal events. The biggest unknown for many was where they would spend their final Christmas, and not with their parents at Sandringham. Royal Lodge. For Lownie, it’s a clear sign that an agreement has been reached between Andrew and the King – that he and Sarah Ferguson would “quietly leave the scene” as long as their daughters were protected. But it’s also clear that they wouldn’t be there if King Charles didn’t want them. Church of St. Mary Magdalene for Christmas mass, Beatrice and Eugenie, alongside their husbands, stood out in the group, just behind the King and Queen. It is, perhaps, a sign of how they intend to move forward amid the fallout from the Epstein case. an active part of the Royal Family.

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