She has long had the reputation of playing peacemaker when it comes to royal scandals. And now it’s thought Kate Middleton has found herself caught in the middle of all the drama once more, amid reports her relationship with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie is under ‘renewed strain’ amid their parents’ shock scandal.
As Closer reported last week, Beatrice and Eugenie’s mother, The Duchess Of York, Sarah Ferguson, 65, fears she and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, could be kicked out of the royal fold after it was revealed she had dubbed disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her ‘steadfast, generous and supreme friend’ while he awaited trial for sex-trafficking charges in 2011. Sarah was subsequently dropped from multiple charities as a patron or ambassador.
The Duke and Duchess of York, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie in 2000 ©(Photo by UK Press via Getty Images )
According to insiders, Kate is having to ‘tread carefully’ as she tries her best to support the sisters, with whom she shares ‘an unspoken understanding’ as a mother.
The source reveals, ‘Kate’s spoken to Eugenie and Beatrice over the phone about the explosive ordeal they’re going through at the moment. She knows it must be awful for them going through such public scrutiny, and she’s completely torn over what to do. On one hand, she has a real bond with the girls, but she doesn’t want to be involved in such a grim case. Eugenie and Beatrice are desperate for her support and she wants to be there for them, but she also knows they are likely to be tarred by the same brush as their parents.
‘They don’t necessarily see each other constantly, but when they do, there’s genuine warmth and support there. There is an understanding from the Wales family of how difficult this has all been for the girls. They know it’s not their fault and they know it’s not fair.’
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Eugenie of York and Princess Beatrice of York ©(Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Eugenie and Beatrice’s father, Andrew, 65, was forced to step down from royal duties in 2019 after his friendship with Epstein came to light, and bombshell abuse accusations from then 17-year-old alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre. He has always denied the claims.
Fergie has stood by Andrew and the pair even continue to live together, despite divorcing in 1996. But with each new bombshell, their daughters ‘risk being dragged into the fallout’, and palace insiders are worried they’ll be forced to ‘bankroll’ Fergie and Andrew as they continue to damage their reputations.
Meanwhile, William’s patience appears to be wearing thin. At the Duchess of Kent’s funeral last month, royal watchers couldn’t help but notice the tension between him and his uncle outside Westminster Cathedral. One expert claimed Wills, 43, issued a ‘secret scolding’ to his disgraced relative and ‘did not want to be seen chatting’ to him.
Another source claimed that William sees Andrew and Fergie as a ‘pair of chancers’ and has reportedly urged his father, King Charles III, 76, to cut them off.
There was tension at the
Duchess of Kent’s funeral ©Getty Images
But despite the clash, it’s believed Kate, 43, is choosing to focus on what matters most to her – Beatrice and Eugenie, and their children.
The source explains, ‘It’s no secret that Kate and William have to tread very carefully around the issue of Prince Andrew. That hasn’t always been easy for Beatrice and Eugenie, who are deeply loyal daughters. But even with those differences, they’ve managed to keep their personal connection intact.
‘Kate has always admired how grounded Beatrice and Eugenie try to be as mothers. They swap stories, they laugh about the chaos of life with kids, and they confide in each other about things the public never see. The three of them know what it’s like to raise children in the spotlight – and that’s a bond not many others can share.’
Beatrice, 37, shares two daughters – Sienna, three, and eight-month-old Athena – with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. She is also the stepmother to Edoardo’s son Wolfie, eight, from his previous relationship. Meanwhile, Eugenie, 35, has sons August, four, and Ernest, two, with her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie ©Photo by Victoria Jones/Shutterstock
With Kate and William’s children – George, 12, Charlotte, 10 and Louis, seven – that bit older, it’s thought Beatrice and Eugenie look up to Kate and love swapping ‘parenting tips and hacks’.
‘They all bounce ideas and suggestions off each other,’ an insider previously revealed. ‘Kate, Beatrice and Eugenie have an alliance. They laugh and share stories about their unique experiences of parenting while the world watches their every move.’
Catherine, Princess of Wales ©(Photo by Max Mumby – Pool/ Mark Cuthbert/ UK Press via Getty Images)
Now, an insider adds, ‘Kate doesn’t see Beatrice and Eugenie as part of her inner circle in the way she does with her own family or even Zara [Tindall]. But there’s no animosity there. It’s a positive, functional relationship with real moments of support.
‘Kate hopes the current tidal wave of attention over the scandal dies down for Beatrice and Eugenie – she only wants the best for them and hates the idea of them suffering because of their parents’ mistakes.’
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