Footage from the British royal family's Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham in December 2025 has reignited speculation about tensions within the monarchy after body-language expert Judi James suggested that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie appeared visibly uncomfortable around Catherine, Princess of Wales, during the traditional public appearance.
The analysis, published in the Daily Mail, focused on video showing members of the royal family greeting crowds outside St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate. The annual walkabout typically features Prince William, Kate Middleton, and other senior royals greeting well-wishers and exchanging holiday greetings with members of the public.
According to James, the York sisters' posture and facial expressions indicated restrained tension rather than relaxed interaction with the Wales family.
"There is a type of smile known as a performed or applied rictus that is a wide smile that appears effortful and not prompted by authentic pleasure," James said in the analysis.
"Often the wider the smile, the more negative the emotions being masked, which could be why Beatrice's smile here, as she waits for the Waleses to go first, hints at what could be awkwardness or dislike," she added.
The footage shows Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, standing slightly behind William and Kate as the Prince and Princess of Wales walked ahead with their children during the greeting line.
James suggested that the sisters' body language indicated discomfort while waiting for the Wales family to move forward.
"The smiles could suggest some conversation through gritted teeth as they watch William, Kate, and the children take the lead," James said, adding that Beatrice's downward glance appeared to signal "quiet impatience or discomfort at having to hang around dutifully and compliantly until they move on."
The resurfaced video has drawn renewed attention to reports of strained relations between the York family and the Wales household, tensions that observers say intensified following controversies involving Prince Andrew, the father of Beatrice and Eugenie.
Andrew stepped back from royal duties after his association with financier Jeffrey Epstein sparked international scrutiny, and in October 2025 he relinquished his remaining honorary military titles.
Royal commentators say those developments reshaped internal dynamics within the monarchy, particularly as Prince William and King Charles III have pushed for a more streamlined royal structure.
The Sandringham appearance occurred only weeks after Kate Middleton's "Together at Christmas" carol service at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 5, 2025, an event designed to emphasize unity within the royal family and the broader community.
Although the York sisters were invited to the service, they did not attend.
Princess Eugenie acknowledged the event publicly on social media, writing: "Wish Bea and I could have been celebrating tonight with our family. Wishing @princeandprincessofwales such a special evening at her incredible carol service. What an amazing message of hope."
Despite the cordial message, reports in several British outlets suggested the sisters' absence reflected broader tensions within the family.
Some royal watchers have linked the strain to disputes over titles, public roles and the future structure of the monarchy following Andrew's fall from grace.
Observers also point to William's increasingly prominent leadership role within the royal household as a potential source of friction for other branches of the family.
The speculation remains largely based on interpretation rather than confirmed statements from the palace.
Buckingham Palace has not commented publicly on the body-language analysis or the claims of tension circulating in media coverage.
Representatives for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have likewise not addressed the interpretations of their behavior during the Sandringham walkabout.
