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NEED TO KNOW
- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been stripped of all his royal titles.
- His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was also stripped of hers.
- They have both been told to move out of the Royal Lodge following the Epstein scandal.
- Their daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, have retained their titles as Princesses.
In the weeks since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles, there have been questions about whether his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will keep theirs.
Now, royal author Robert Jobson has revealed why he can’t see a way forward for William, Prince of Wales, without his loyal cousins by his side.
Having been reporting on the royal family and spent significant time with them for more than three decades, the 61-year-old is well placed to share his insights.
He cites a 1995 family ski trip to Switzerland as proof William won’t strip his cousins of their titles, like their parents, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, witnessing his protectiveness firsthand.
“William is not interested in reopening old wounds,” he told Hello!. “His focus is forward; and forward includes the York sisters.”
While William, 43, played a pivotal role in his father, King Charles’, decision to strip Andrew of his titles, Robert insists they’re not guilty by association.
“His position is direct: Beatrice and Eugenie must not be punished for their father’s alleged sins,” Robert said. “Accountability belongs to Andrew, not to his daughters.”
It’s the tireless advocacy work Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, do as well as their continued steadiness amid the chaos that make them invaluable members of the monarchy.
“Their titles were never in doubt,” Robert stated.
“Both the King and Prince William know the difference between disciplining a disgraced man and stripping identity from two women who have shown loyalty in the hardest years.”
Will Andrew be forced to leave the Royal Lodge?
To add insult to injury for 65-year-old Andrew, the BBC reported he’d been given notice to vacate Royal Lodge, which he has called home since 2003.
The disgraced royal will relocate to accommodation on the royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
This comes weeks after he surrendered his title as the Duke of York, following scrutiny over his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew’s ex-wife’s title was also removed, and she is now known as Sarah Ferguson.
Formerly the Duchess of York, Sarah, who also maintained a friendship with Epstein, has reportedly been told she must also find alternative accommodation.
Their daughters have reportedly been keeping their distance from their parents because of their connection with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Prince was also accused of abuse by Virginia Giuffre, which he has repeatedly denied over the years.
On October 19, the Metropolitan Police said it would look “into the claims made” about Prince Andrew allegedly asking a bodyguard to “dig up dirt” on Virginia.
Will Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie keep their royal titles?
Beatrice and Eugenie will retain their royal titles.
This is because of King George V’s 1917 Letters Patent, due to being the daughters of the son of a Sovereign.
A palace insider previously told New Idea that the scandal drove a wedge between the family, and it was difficult for Eugenie and Beatrice to comprehend.
“[Beatrice and Eugenie] can hardly believe what has happened,” the source said.
“They are mortified and had no idea about the more lurid details of the scandal that has enveloped their parents. They have no idea how to move forward from this.”
In a statement, Buckingham Palace explained King Charles’ decision to remove his title and Andrew’s relocation.
“[It was] deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” it began.
“Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse,” it concluded.
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