Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice ‘are not abandoning’ Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continues to face criticism in the wake of the Epstein scandal, and it has put strain on his relationship with daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are not thought to ditch their father

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Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are not thought to ditch their father(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice “are not abandoning” their dad Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, it is reported.

The sisters’ relationship with their father has become strained in recent weeks amid the Epstein scandal, following which Eugenie and Beatrice kept a low profile. Eugenie, though, who is reportedly “mortified” over her parent’s involvement with the convicted sex offender, was pictured on Monday at a high-end contemporary art fair in Doha, Qatar.

A body language expert told us Eugenie, 35, looked “rather vulnerable and resigned” despite her cheery demeanour alongside her German influencer friend Caroline Daur.

But it is believed neither Eugenie or her sister — who has appeared to show more support to her dad recently — intend to “turn their back” on 65-year-old Andrew. A friend of the princesses said: “The sisters are not abandoning their father. They aren’t turning their backs on him. But everything is obviously very strained and hard.”

 

Prince Andrew

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, pictured with Beatrice, faces more scrutiny(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Eugenie and Beatrice opted to spend Christmas with other members of the Royal Family, despite reports suggesting they had considering trips abroad with their respective partners. Since then though, more Epstein files have been released, including images of Andrew on the floor appearing to kneel over a woman.

One email suggested that Epstein paid for the former duchess’ flight tickets to the US to have lunch at his property in Palm Beach alongside Beatrice and Eugenie, who were just 20 and 19 at the time. In other messages, she called him a ‘brother’ she wished for and also jokingly asked him to “just marry me.”

Robert Jobson, an author and former royal correspondent, said: “They must be overwhelmed and aghast by this. What was she thinking? Taking her daughters — the late Queen’s granddaughters — to meet this vile convicted criminal? It really beggars belief.”

reports Eugenie and Beatrice are not prepared to abandon their father, who last week vacated his grand 30-room property Royal Lodge. The disgraced former prince has been temporarily shifted to Wood Farm Cottage, Prince Philip’s retirement home, while work on his new property — an outbuilding on the Sandringham Estate — continues. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor denies any wrongdoing.

Prince William, meanwhile, faced questions about about the Epstein scandal after joining a kickabout with young female footballers on day two of his visit to Saudi Arabia.. The Prince of Wales is in the middle of a diplomatically sensitive trip to the country and had been visiting a girls’ football training session when a reporter shouted out to him.

He asked: “Sir, to what extent do you think the royal family has done enough around the Andrew and Epstein scandal?” William did not respond and it was unclear if he heard the question, which was shouted from a distance