Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have reportedly been left “in a state” after their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was dramatically arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office — a move that has sent shockwaves through the Royal Family.

The disgraced former royal spent 11 hours in police custody on his 66th birthday after plain-clothed officers arrived at his Norfolk home at 8am in a coordinated raid. He was later released under investigation and photographed slumped in the back of a car as he departed Aylsham police station shortly after 7pm.

Since the arrest, there has been no public sign of his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson or their daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35. Their sudden silence has only intensified speculation over how deeply the crisis has affected the family.

One insider told The Telegraph: This is catastrophic for her and the girls. She seems to be doing her best to put a brave face on it. Her desperation for money was clear stupidity but does that equate to what she’s going through now?

It is understood that one of the Princesses is currently with their mother, amid mounting concerns for Ferguson’s mental health. The former Duchess of York is said to be lying low abroad, having recently spent time in the French Alps before travelling on to the United Arab Emirates.

The arrest marks an unprecedented moment in modern royal history — Andrew is believed to be the first senior royal to be detained by police in contemporary times. He was reportedly held in relation to allegations that he passed sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy.

While the Palace has remained largely tight-lipped, King Charles III issued a rare and pointed statement, declaring: I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated… Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.

The monarch added that the authorities would have his full and wholehearted support and co-operation, but stressed that it would not be right for him to comment further.

Meanwhile, Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, was recently seen in Miami and Palm Beach, though there was no sign of his wife in social media posts from the trip — prompting further questions about her whereabouts.

Police vehicles were also spotted at Andrew’s former Berkshire residence near Windsor Castle, with a fine art transportation van seen leaving the estate, adding to the scale and drama of the unfolding investigation.

As the Crown reels from one of its most humiliating chapters in recent memory, the women of the former House of York remain out of sight — and, according to sources, deeply shaken.