The Scandal Surrounding Ex-Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Has Created New Challenges for Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice

They've kept their heads down. They've stayed silent. But now, a devastating blow has landed — one that could change the sisters' future forever.

In a shocking twist tied to the scandal that continues to haunt their disgraced father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, it has now been reported that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will no longer inherit the £30 million Royal Lodge estate.

The bombshell comes as Andrew — the former prince — prepares to vacate the lavish property he's called home for over 20 years, a move directly linked to the stripping of his titles over his disgraced friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Royal Lodge Stripped from the Family Line

The Royal Lodge — a sprawling 30-room residence once seen as a royal inheritance in waiting — is no longer part of the princesses' future.

A property expert has now confirmed what royal watchers feared: the possibility of Beatrice and Eugenie inheriting the estate has been ruled out "entirely."

Andrew, who signed a 75-year lease on the property back in 2003 under the Crown Estate, had reportedly long harbored hopes of passing the home on to his daughters.

He even continued to reside there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, mother to the two princesses. But that dream has now crumbled.

Elliot Castle of We Buy Any Home told The Mirror that the inheritance was contingent entirely on the lease remaining intact.

"[This] would only have been possible while the lease remained in place," Castle explained. "Once that lease is surrendered or terminated, there is nothing to pass on."

"That closes the door entirely," Castle added. "Royal Lodge would revert fully to the Crown Estate, with no residual claim for Andrew or his daughters."

The timing is no coincidence. The decision to remove Andrew from Royal Lodge follows intensified public and royal pressure regarding his now-infamous ties to Epstein — ties that have stripped him of royal duties, public appearances, and now, his home.

Though Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing and expressed regret over the friendship, the repercussions have been unrelenting.

Downgraded — And Displaced

By Easter, the 65-year-old former Duke is expected to relocate to a modest property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

Castle highlighted the staggering financial cost of losing Royal Lodge:

"The key point here is that Royal Lodge is not just a home — it's a valuable long-term leasehold asset. Initiating a formal process to remove Andrew earlier than expected effectively strips away the remaining financial and practical value of that lease."

According to Castle, the royal's personal financial loss may be as high as £500,000, considering the investment made into the property and the abrupt termination of a decades-long arrangement.

"Royal Lodge offered security, status, and a long lease that justified significant personal investment," he added. "Losing that arrangement early inevitably results in sunk costs that can't be recovered."

What's Next for the Princesses?

While their father's legacy falters, Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, are raising their two children at Ivy Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, with an additional residence in Portugal.

Princess Beatrice lives in the Cotswolds with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and their children.

Still, the emotional toll of losing their inheritance comes at a time when both sisters have faced difficult public and private decisions — especially when it comes to their parents' increasing isolation from royal life.

Choosing the Crown Over Chaos

Amid the storm, Beatrice and Eugenie made headlines for joining King Charles and Queen Camilla at Sandringham for Christmas, a powerful gesture of loyalty to the monarchy.

Their parents, Andrew and Sarah, spent Christmas alone at Royal Lodge — understood to be their last in the residence. Yet insiders say the former couple were unwavering in their support.

"They live and die by the monarchy, so this didn't surprise me at all. And Andrew and Sarah would have 1,000 percent supported it," a family friend told People.

"Sarah has always said her greatest gift to the monarchy was her girls. She's going to still hold her allegiance to the Crown," the source added.

Torn Between Family and Duty

Royal biographer Robert Jobson backed the sisters' decision, calling it a wise and necessary move amid the ongoing scandal.

"They did the right thing — showing loyalty to King Charles and to the Crown," Jobson said. "It's easy to say this is a snub, but they would say, 'I'm a royal princess, I'm in line to the throne, I have been invited to attend the King's Christmas celebrations and you don't turn down the King's invitation.'"

"If you have an invitation, you go. It's not an invitation — it's a command, really," he added.

The decision likely didn't come easily. Royal insiders speculated the princesses might instead spend the holidays at home with their parents — a final family gathering before Royal Lodge is surrendered.

Quiet Lives in the Eye of the Storm

Since the scandal broke last October, Beatrice and Eugenie have noticeably withdrawn from public life.

"They've been very low-key lately and not at many of the usual social events," an insider revealed. "They're really just keeping to close, family-only celebrations."

For the two princesses, the focus is said to have shifted from royal privilege to personal peace.

"They've found love and happiness in their lives. They have families themselves. That's what they really want to focus on," said Jobson. "Unfortunately, their father and mother bring drama to their lives."

Although insiders say Andrew and Sarah have supported their daughters' allegiance to the Crown, others have suggested the divide has still come at a cost.

As readers may recall, in what sources say is a painful fracture within the House of Windsor, Princess Beatrice initially refused invitations to spend the festive season with either King Charles at Sandringham or her parents at Royal Lodge.

Instead, it was reported that she planned to hit the slopes on a skiing getaway with her husband and close friends — a dramatic retreat from royal tradition as her father's reputation sinks ever deeper into scandal.

'Torn' Princess Trapped Between King and Scandal

A friend confided to The Sun that Beatrice felt "tormented" by the "tug" between the royals and her embattled parents.

"Beatrice doesn't want to cause any embarrassment and was torn between loyalty to the King and her parents. That is why with Eugenie they went to Buckingham Palace for the pre-Christmas family lunch," the friend said.

"She appreciates the way that the King and William have looked after her during everything that has been happening with Andy and Sarah," the friend added. "She didn't want it to look like they were snubbing anyone so it was easier to go off with friends."

Her younger sister, Princess Eugenie, reportedly faced the same impossible choice, and while it remained unknown where she would go for the holiday season at the time, she was expected to spend it with her husband, Jack.

Grinch at the Gates: Andrew's Gloom Casts a Shadow Over Windsor

Andrew, once dubbed the late Queen's favorite son, is now the Windsor family pariah. A source grimly remarked, "With everything that's gone on, he's very much like the Grinch. It's clear this year that festive cheer is in short supply."

For the first time in two decades, the Royal Lodge stayed undecorated for Christmas. The traditional holiday trimmings — two large wreaths and a tree perched above the entrance — were noticeably absent last year. The festive silence was deafening.

The timing was no coincidence. On Friday, 19 December, U.S. justice officials released newly unsealed Epstein files, exposing an even darker web of sordid connections — and Andrew was right in the thick of it.

Newly Released Photos Show Andrew and Sarah in Epstein's Orbit

Among the damning evidence: disturbing photographs featuring both Andrew and ex-wife Sarah in the company of unidentified women with faces obscured — their presence captured in what appear to be separate, intimate settings.

In one shot, Sarah is perched on a patterned sofa in a room lined with artwork, wearing a purple coat as she leans forward in conversation beside a mystery woman scribbling notes.

Another shows the former Duchess of York smiling on a city street — again accompanied by a woman, this time with shopping bags in hand, whose face has been blurred out.

But the most shocking image? Andrew himself, sprawled across the laps of five women whose faces are blacked out — while Epstein's notorious accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell stands close by.

Denials, Settlements — And a Royal Reputation in Ruins

Though both Andrew and Sarah have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, their proximity to Epstein — and the explicit photographic evidence — has left a stain on the monarchy that no amount of denial can cleanse.

The scandal erupted in full force back in 2019, when Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her on three occasions when she was just 17 years old — a minor under U.S. law. She alleged Epstein trafficked her for sex with the former Prince, who has vehemently denied the allegations.

In August 2021, she filed a federal lawsuit in New York, and though Andrew admitted no guilt, he agreed to a multi-million-pound settlement in February 2022 — reported to be more than £7 million, excluding his own towering legal costs.

The Price of Silence

The settlement — officially called a "settlement in principle" — included a substantial donation to Virginia's charity for abuse survivors. A statement released at the time said Andrew "never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre's character," acknowledging she had "suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks."

He also pledged to "demonstrate his regret for his association" with Epstein by supporting the fight against sex trafficking.

But for the British public and much of the royal family, the damage was already done. Andrew's presence remains a deeply uncomfortable reminder of a scandal the monarchy would rather forget.

Family Fractured: Beatrice and Eugenie Caught in the Crossfire

Even intimate family milestones are now clouded by discomfort. Back in early December, Beatrice and Edo celebrated the christening of their daughter, Athena, at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace — but the guest list revealed a painful divide.

Though Andrew and Sarah attended the ceremony, it marked the first time the disgraced couple had stepped inside a royal palace since losing their titles — and they pointedly did not join in the post-christening celebrations at a nearby pub with family and friends.

A source previously told the Mail on Sunday, "It's going to be a royal occasion but everyone is dreading the thought of seeing Andrew there." Despite maintaining a close relationship with her mother, Beatrice's bond with her father is reportedly strained.

Another insider shared, "Beatrice has, of course, invited her father. But things are not warm between them. However, she's worried about him. He's going through a low ebb with his mental health and she recognises that he dotes on his grandchildren."

They added, "And it would be cruel to deprive him of the chance to attend the christening. Some careful conversations and diplomacy with King Charles will have taken place to get to this stage."

A Princess in Exile, A Palace in Peril

As the monarchy reels from fresh humiliation, Princess Beatrice's reported choice to flee royal obligations signals just how far the ripple effects of Epstein's crimes have reached — right into the heart of Windsor's next generation.

With King Charles tightening the reins on the Firm and public trust hanging by a thread, one thing is clear: this Christmas, there's no peace at Royal Lodge — only silence, scandal, and snow-covered escape.