Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, daughters of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, will not attend the Royal Family’s traditional Easter service at Windsor Castle this Sunday. With King Charles’ consent, the princesses have chosen to make other plans, marking a notable absence from the annual religious event.
This decision follows mounting scrutiny surrounding their father, the former Duke of York, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. His longstanding association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has cast a shadow over the family. Despite the controversy, Beatrice and Eugenie were present at the Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations at Sandringham in December and are expected to participate in future family events.
The Easter Matins service at St George’s Chapel will still feature senior royals, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales. Beatrice and Eugenie, granddaughters of the late Queen Elizabeth II, have themselves come under media examination after their names appeared in documents related to Epstein released by the US Department of Justice.
Among the revelations, an email exchange indicated that their mother, Sarah Ferguson, arranged for the princesses to visit Epstein in the United States shortly after his release from prison in 2009. At the time, Beatrice and Eugenie were 19 and 20 years old. Messages showed Sarah Ferguson referring to Epstein as her “dear spectacular and special friend” and expressing pride in him.
Amid these revelations, King Charles stripped Andrew of his royal titles and military affiliations last year, though Beatrice and Eugenie retained their princess titles. The family remains under intense public scrutiny, especially after Virginia Giuffre’s allegations against Andrew, including forced sexual encounters with her as a minor.
New claims have emerged alleging other inappropriate encounters involving Andrew and Epstein associates. Andrew was arrested on his 66th birthday in February, accused of sharing sensitive information with Epstein during his tenure as the UK’s trade envoy. While denying wrongdoing related to Giuffre’s allegations, he has not addressed recent claims.
In related developments, Sarah Ferguson recently lost her Freedom of the City of York honor due to her links with Epstein. Eugenie also reportedly stepped down in March from her role as patron of the charity Anti-Slavery International, a position she held for seven years.