Fresh allegations involving Sarah Ferguson, King Charles III, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have reignited scrutiny over the British monarchy's handling of the embattled York branch of the Royal Family, after royal biographer Andrew Lownie claimed the princesses resisted a financial audit allegedly requested by senior royals.
The claims appear in an updated paperback edition of Lownie's book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which revisits the fallout surrounding Prince Andrew and the monarchy's ongoing struggle to contain reputational damage tied to years of controversy surrounding the duke's personal and financial affairs.
According to Lownie, both Charles and Prince William sought greater clarity regarding the finances and lifestyle arrangements of Beatrice and Eugenie amid broader concerns about the public image of non-working royals operating within elite international circles.
Speaking to the Mirror while promoting the revised edition, Lownie alleged the sisters refused to cooperate with the proposed review.
"There is no independent documentation in the public domain of any formal audit demand, nor of any alleged refusal," he acknowledged indirectly through the reporting surrounding the claims, while no Buckingham Palace representative has publicly confirmed any such dispute.
The allegations nevertheless feed into a wider debate inside royal circles about what role, if any, remains for the York family in a monarchy increasingly shaped by Charles's long-promised "slimmed-down" vision.
Lownie described Beatrice and Eugenie as "clearly footballs in this thing," arguing they are caught between competing factions inside the institution.
"The fact that they are still swanning around the Middle East, using their titles... it doesn't send out the right signals if you want to work your passage back. It's confusing," he told the Mirror.
The remarks reflect growing sensitivity within palace circles over how royal branding is used by family members who are no longer full-time working royals but continue to benefit from royal status, residences and international visibility.
At the center of the latest controversy sits Ferguson, the former wife of Andrew, who still resides at Royal Lodge alongside the duke despite their divorce nearly three decades ago.
Lownie claims Ferguson is privately negotiating long-term financial security from the monarchy while avoiding potentially explosive public disclosures.
"That may be what Fergie's negotiating at the moment. Can she get a nice pension from them and not have to do an Oprah interview," Lownie said.
The comment invokes lingering royal anxiety following the highly publicized interview given by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Oprah Winfrey in 2021, which triggered one of the monarchy's most destabilizing modern crises.
There is no evidence Ferguson has pursued such an interview or threatened to do so, and no broadcaster has announced discussions with her.
Lownie also suggested internal divisions persist over how aggressively the palace should distance itself from the Yorks.
In his characterization, Queen Camilla, William and Catherine, Princess of Wales are portrayed as favoring greater separation due to reputational concerns, while Charles is described as more reluctant to abandon his nieces completely.
The biographer further alleged that Charles may have privately reassured Andrew during negotiations surrounding Royal Lodge that "We'll take care of your daughters," though no evidence of such an agreement has been publicly produced.
The renewed attention on the York family comes as the monarchy continues attempting to stabilize itself after years dominated by scandals involving Andrew, the Sussexes' departure from royal duties and broader questions about transparency, finances and the role of hereditary privilege in modern Britain.
Lownie additionally argued the institution has applied inconsistent standards when comparing Ferguson's commercial ventures with the treatment received by Harry and Meghan after leaving royal life.
"Poor old Meghan has watched Fergie for the last 40 years selling her jam and doing all sorts of things, and quietly doing it in the States," Lownie said.
"She was clearly living in Royal Lodge, and still semi royal."
Neither Ferguson nor Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have publicly responded to the allegations.
