Inside the Real Marital Boundaries of Beatrice and Eugenie as They Quietly Defy the Brutal Royal Rumor Mill!

Meanwhile, Fergie, 66, also ceased using her duchess title in October, as 2011 correspondence showed she branded Epstein – who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges – her ‘steadfast, generous and supreme friend’. Although she claimed that Epstein had ‘threatened to destroy her’ if she didn’t support him, she was quickly dropped as a patron by seven charities. It also emerged that Sarah took her daughters to visit Epstein to ‘celebrate’  his release from prison after being convicted of procuring a child for prostitution in 2009.

While there’s no suggestion of wrongdoing by Beatrice and Eugenie, they have been drawn into the scandal by association. Resurfaced reports have recently hinted how Beatrice had played a supportive role in Andrew’s infamous 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, while bombshell correspondence – allegedly between Fergie and Epstein – mentioned her name 38 times. Eugenie was also referred to 19 times and shocking emails from her mother appeared to boast about her youngest daughter’s ‘shagging weekend’.

Initially, public sympathy leaned heavily towards the sisters, with reports suggesting they’d been left ‘broken’ and ‘aghast’ by the fresh allegations. However, earlier this month, a leaked email from June 2011 showed how Andrew pushed for his daughters to receive £50,000 each in secret payments from billionaire Jonathan Rowland, who he was helping while acting as trade envoy. It’s unclear if the payments were ever made.

And though Beatrice still uses her apartment at St James’ Palace as her London base, and Eugenie – who quietly stepped down from her position at charity Anti-Slavery International this month – moved to Ivy Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace, it’s been questioned whether the sisters will be allowed to keep their royal residences.

Our insider says there has been ‘debate’ in the princesses’ close circles about whether speaking out could help protect their young families. We’re told, ‘Jack and Edo want to know how long this is going to drag on. Both Eugenie and Beatrice have so far chosen to remain silent, and there are certainly some people who wonder if they’re doing the right thing by keeping so tight-lipped and feel they’d be better off speaking out.’

The source continues, ‘If they were to come out decisively against their parents, it would draw a line in the sand and put people more at ease, no doubt also making things easier for their husbands.’

Property developer Edo – who also shares nine-year-old son Wolfie with his ex partner, Dara Huang – has recently spent considerable time in Palm Beach, Florida, for work.

Our insider says, ‘Although Edo had good reason to fly to the US – no one is saying he and Beatrice are splitting – friends are worried that if the stress doesn’t ease up, there could be dire consequences for both the girls’ marriages. It’s all-consuming and the girls are shattered. They’re doing their very best not to give in to total hysteria, but it’s no exaggeration to say this is the hardest thing they’ve ever endured, and they’re feeling the consequences publicly. They’re used to flying under the radar, now when they walk into rooms, the conversations are stopping mid-sentence. It’s very uncomfortable.’

Eugenie and Beatrice are also reportedly being frozen out by the rest of their family. Despite spending Christmas with senior royals including King Charles and their cousin Prince William, it’s reported that the Princesses are now banned from attending Royal Ascot with the rest of the family in June, which we’re told has ‘intensified that sense of exclusion’.

And thanks to the Andrew-sized elephant in the room, the source says the four have also been largely ostracised from their usual crowd. We’re told, ‘They’re feeling like total outcasts in their social set right now, including Jack and Edo, who’ve always been so popular. They both love their wives and insist that their marriages are strong enough to weather this storm, but living under constant scrutiny and embarrassment is exhausting.’

The insider adds, ‘No one knows what to say, which just makes it very awkward, and the instinct is for people to turn their backs. People feel they need to speak up to save their own skin. This isn’t going away, and if they don’t deal with it, the unfortunate fact is, it has the potential to derail their lives in countless ways.’