In spite of the fact that the Royal Family has been going through one of the most challenging years in living memory, the past few days have brought forth yet another scandal. This is because it was found that the Duke of York had been associated with a Chinese who is suspected of being a spy.
Although the Duke of York decided to cancel the church walk that was scheduled to take place at Sandringham on Christmas Day as a result of the news, it is possible that his two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will not be influenced by the news in any way, according to a prominent royal analyst.
According to The Mirror, Jennie Bond, a former royal journalist for the BBC, offered the following explanation in an interview with OK!: "I think Fergie's fierce loyalty has certainly rubbed off on the girls. They love their father and it has been incredibly hard for them to see him sacked, disgraced and pilloried for so long. And now this."
With the news that both Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are expected to spend the festive season with their respective in-laws, Jennie added, "I think they will be worried about how beaten down he probably feels and they will be very protective of him."
Despite their parents' involvement in various controversies throughout their lives, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have remained obedient and committed to causes they hold dear.
It is explained by Jennie that the daughters have been a credit to their parents, as they have maintained their dignity in the face of every scandal and disgrace. In spite of this, she agrees that it may be challenging and perplexing for them to provide solace and support to their parent, given that it is often the other way around the situation.
After it was stated that neither Prince Andrew nor Sarah, Duchess of York, will spend time with the rest of the family when they return to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, it was reported that Prince Andrew's Christmas will be different this year. This news came after it was confirmed that none of them will join the rest of the family, per Tatler.
Another unpleasant dispute involving the Duke of York occurs just as the year is about to draw to a close with the Royal Family on a high note, with the King and Princess of Wales welcoming the public on Christmas Day.
In an interview with the publication, Jennie explained that the recent headlines are "another embarrassing row" involving the royal family and that King Charles would have "hated" having to uninvite his brother from the Sandringham gathering. She was speaking about how the decision would have been made in the wake of the Duke's most recent scandal.
"The King is a generous spirit, and Andrew is his brother; he would have apprehended being put in the situation of having to choose between removing him from the invitation list or preventing him from attending what is going to be a large family gathering," Jennie said.
"It seems quite likely that Prince Andrew sat down with Fergie, and possibly his daughters, to discuss the best solution. Thankfully, wise heads have prevailed and he obviously realised that his presence at Sandringham would be an embarrassing distraction on a day which - this year of all years - should be all about the King and Catherine," she added.
Business Times has reached out to Prince Andrew for comments.
