When York sisters Beatrice and Eugenie stepped out in public with their shunned mother, Sarah Ferguson, for the first time in six months in London on October 29, it was an unmistakable show of unity.
One person who got that message loud and clear? Their cousin Prince William, who has reportedly issued the princesses a firm warning to pick a side – the royal family or their disgraced parents, Sarah and Andrew.
“William’s stunned that Beatrice and Eugenie would take such a risk like this, right when he and the King are seriously mulling over bringing them back into the fold,” a royal insider tells New Idea.
“It would feel like a slap in the face and he’s mortified to be disappointed like this.”
Fergie, 67, fled the UK in February amid the fallout over her ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and remained in hiding abroad until her low-key return to Britain. Meanwhile, her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was exiled to Marsh Farm at Sandringham after his arrest earlier this year.
William, 44, strongly pushed for his uncle Andrew and Sarah to be cut off from the royal family, but reportedly did not hold their daughters responsible for their mistakes. However, the heir’s friendly relationship with Beatrice and Eugenie could be a thing of the past if they don’t pledge their loyalty once and for all.
“He’s always stood firm against his aunt and uncle, even going up against his father over it, but his cousins have put him in a difficult position,” the source says.
The strain that’s being placed on King Charles is another factor weighing on William. The King, who turns 78 this week, has looked particularly frail and even snapped at his aides during his recent tour of the Caribbean, which has only fuelled his son’s need to take matters into his own hands.
“William is deeply worried about Charles, and is aware of how much this all affects him,” the insider says.
“Charles seems to be struggling a lot more than he’s letting on, and the last thing William wanted is for his father to be dealing with more York drama.”
Choosing between their mother and their royal duties would be especially hard for Beatrice, 38, and Eugenie, 36, who are no doubt eager for their five kids to have a relationship with their grandmother.
Since returning to Britain, Fergie has been getting to know her newest grandchild, Eugenie’s baby daughter, Adelaide.
“She is embracing her family life and seeing her grandchildren,” Fergie’s spokesperson says, adding that she and Andrew have “an ongoing cordial and supportive relationship as co-parents”.
As a father of three, William would surely understand the sisters’ emotional predicament, but our source says he’s not backing down from his stance on their scandal-plagued parents.
“Andrew and Sarah have brought nothing but shame to the monarchy – it’s not an easy decision for Beatrice and Eugenie, but if they want to maintain ties to the royal family, they cannot be caught up in their parents’ scandals,” the insider adds.
“William’s sent a clear reminder that they’re going to have to make a choice – it’s us or them. He’s not budging on this either.”
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