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When Princess Beatrice’s sister Eugenie took to Instagram on August 18 to share news of her daughter’s birth, she made one very telling statement.
While explaining that baby Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank was named after three people she and her husband Jack “love and admire past and present”, the Princess made an announcement of sorts about where her future lies.
“[Adelaide’s] name is part of English and Portuguese history, two places we love and call home,” Eugenie wrote, before declaring her sons August, five, and Ernest, three, were “already the best big brothers”.
Indeed, baby Adelaide was born in Lisbon, Portugal – with Jack and Eugenie having fled the UK ahead of her birth to the haven of their $AU6.7 million luxury villa close to the pretty village of Melides.
Eugenie’s cousin Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reportedly own a holiday property in the same spot, around 130km south of the capital – with Eugenie and the couple previously close.
Now, royal insiders tell New Idea that Eugenie’s departure from the UK to a pad within spitting distance of the Sussexes’ home has left her sister Princess Beatrice in a “terrible position” for more than one reason.
“Beatrice is having to walk a very fine line right now thanks to her parents’ mistakes, the last thing she needs is to get in more hot water by coming out swinging for the Sussexes when everyone knows how touchy William is about the situation,” the source says.
“He’s watching very closely to see who is with him and who is against him and Beatrice is wisely trying to avoid catching his attention.”
While the insider says Beatrice has so far managed to “keep her title and all her perks”, it’s no secret that her standing with the Prince of Wales is “hanging by a very thin thread”.
“It’s not just herself that Beatrice has to think of, this affects her husband too and he’s already at the end of his tether, courting any more drama is bound to put even more strain on him and their marriage so it’s understandable that she wants to avoid the whole mess,” the insider goes on, adding that Eugenie doesn’t seem so troubled by the situation because she’s enjoying an idyllic life in Europe – far from prying eyes.
As a result, the source says Beatrice has been left in “a terrible position” and “upset” about how things have panned out.
Certainly, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Daily Mail that Eugenie’s relocation to Portugal has helped “change” the public perception of her.
“Beatrice and Eugenie have had an extremely tough period whilst their parents are publicly disgraced. Yet there has been a change in the perception of Eugenie,” he said.
“A happy event, the birth of Adelaide and the delightful photographs Eugenie has shared with us, remind us all of the very human predicament of those in the public eye with parents who have disgraced themselves.”
While Eugenie was sharing happy snaps of her newborn baby, Beatrice in contrast was photographed looking sombre in black as she attended a funeral back in the UK.
Both sisters are thought to be keeping a distance from their disgraced father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – although there are whispers that Eugenie has been secretly hosting visits from their mother Sarah Ferguson in Portugal.
Staff at one restaurant close to Eugenie’s home told Daily Mail that the Princess, Jack and Fergie have been guests at the eatery, which serves delicious seafood rice.
“Eugenie and her husband are regulars and have been here quite a few times with friends. Their mothers have also been here several times but I’ve never seen the father, Andrew,” one waiter told the outlet.
“Now Eugenie has had a baby, there has been talk that Sarah is back in Melides to help her with the new little one.”
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