Despite widespread speculation, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have not entirely “cut off” their scandal-ridden parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, according to a close friend. 

The daughters of the former Duke and Duchess of York have endured intense scrutiny following the fallout surrounding their parents, particularly after Andrew’s ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced.

While both sisters are said to have struggled with the public embarrassment and chaos caused by their parents, their individual approaches appear to differ.

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Beatrice, 37, has reportedly been trying to “walk a fine line”- maintaining a relationship with her father while remaining firmly aligned with the wider Royal Family.

Meanwhile, Eugenie, 35, was said to have “cut off her father completely”, with one source describing their fractured bond as being at “Brooklyn Beckham level”.

However, fresh reporting suggests the reality is more nuanced.

On Thursday, Daily Mail diarist Richard Eden said confidants of the sisters insist they remain in contact with both parents, albeit cautiously.

“Bea and Eug feel very sorry for their parents. They are keeping in touch with them and making sure they’re OK,” a friend told Eden.

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“Andrew’s main concern is that his daughters are not tainted by his difficulties, so he is keeping his distance from them.”

The source added: “Both Andrew and Sarah want their daughters to remain part of the Royal Family and were happy for them to spend Christmas in Norfolk.”

While Eugenie is understood to be keeping her distance for now, her friend claimed she hopes to rebuild a relationship with her father in the future.

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Eden also reported that Andrew struck a “secret deal” with his older brother, King Charles III, in November to protect his daughters’ HRH titles, despite his own fall from grace.

Andrew was stripped of his dukedom, along with his royal and military titles, in October. His ex-wife Ferguson also lost her Duchess title at the same time.

However, it has been reported the 77-year-old King is keen to safeguard Beatrice and Eugenie’s status, given they are granddaughters of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The sisters continue to be invited to major royal gatherings- something some experts believe is driven by their parents.

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Royal commentator Ingrid Seward told The Sun she believes Andrew remains heavily invested in ensuring his daughters stay close to the monarchy.

“I don’t think Beatrice and Eugenie had a choice. Andrew said to them, you have to go,” Seward said of their recent Christmas appearance.

“Because he wants to keep a foot in. A, he wants to know what’s going on. B, he’d want to know what people were saying about him.”

She added that Ferguson plays a similar role. “And he’s always said that, and Fergie has said, ‘the girls are my passport’.

“They are Andrew’s only passport into the royal family now. And I’m absolutely sure that he persuaded them.”