OPINION BY Sophia Papamavroudi
It has been the bleakest Christmas for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor this year, with no signs of a brighter future in store. As the Royal Family gathered in Norfolk, showcasing unity and devotion on Christmas Day, the disgraced former prince found himself conspicuously absent, like a sidelined relic of a scandal that the monarchy can no longer accommodate.
Week after week, damaging details regarding Andrew’s tainted past relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have brought great discomfort to the Firm, testing the patience of the British public, in the clearest sign yet that could not be ignored. Of course, Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing, but long are the days of glittering dinners and jolly family moments for the former duke, who cut a lonely figure on Thursday when he was pictured driving around Windsor as his relatives celebrated Christmas miles away.
However, amid the latest royal troubles, there were two key members of the Firm, who made a quietly powerful choice for the world to see – Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.