Prince Andrew has been making headlines this month ever since he agreed to give up his titles, including the Duke of York, due to his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged links with a Chinese spy. Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, with whom he remains good friends, has also lost her Duchess title and reverted to her maiden name. The latest controversy is whether Andrew and Sarah should be forced to move out of their 30-room mansion, Royal Lodge, in Windsor, which they have been living in together, virtually rent-free, for the past two decades.
However, despite the spotlight falling on the York family, the ex-couple's two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have kept a low-profile and a dignified silence as the royal saga rumbles on.
The situation for Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, remains largely unchanged. As male-line grandchildren of the British sovereign, then Queen Elizabeth II, Beatrice and Eugenie retain their birthright of being Princesses. There is also no change to the line of succession; Beatrice is in ninth place while Eugenie is in twelfth. It is understood that their uncle King Charles wanted to ensure they kept their titles, and that they would continue to be invited to family events such as Christmas at Sandringham.
The two Princesses are not working royals, however like other members of their family, they support numerous charities and have their own patronages. They are often reunited with their royal relatives at larger family gatherings, such as palace garden parties and Royal Ascot. Beatrice and Eugenie also have their own professional careers and young families to juggle.
Princess Beatrice
Beatrice, who was seen visiting her parents in Windsor shortly after news of their title loss broke, was born on 8 August 1988. She was educated at St George's, Ascot, where she was elected Head Girl in her final year and where she achieved an 'A' in A-Level Drama, a 'B' in History, and a 'B' in Film Studies. She then enrolled in a three-year course at Goldsmiths, University of London to read History and History of Ideas, graduating in 2011 with a 2:1.
© GettyBeatrice pursued a career in tech and business. She is Vice-President of Partnerships and Strategy at software company Afiniti, and as of August 2025, Beatrice is a director and shareholder of Purpose Economy Intelligence Ltd, a software and consulting company she co-founded with executive Luis Alvarado Martinez. The Princess is also a co-founder of The Big Change Charitable Trust.
© GettyBeyond her professional career, Beatrice is an advocate for charity work and philanthropy. Her royal patronages include the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice, Teenage Cancer Trust and the British Skin Foundation. Having been diagnosed with dyslexia herself aged seven, Beatrice is also an ambassador for Made By Dyslexia and the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity and has previously told HELLO! her diagnosis is "a gift".
Because she is not a working royal, Beatrice does not receive funding from the Sovereign Grant. She is, however, one of King Charles' Counsellors of State, a role that allows her to undertake official duties if the monarch is abroad or unwell.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe eldest of the York daughters is married to property developer, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, with whom she shares four-year-old Sienna and nine-month-old Athena. She has been styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, since her marriage in 2020. The couple had planned to marry in May 2020 at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, followed by a private reception in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, but their wedding was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An intimate, private ceremony was eventually held in July 2020, at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Royal Lodge, Windsor.
Beatrice, who is also a stepmother to Edoardo's son Wolfie from his previous relationship, gave birth to her second child prematurely in January 2025. At the time, she wrote a deeply personal essay published in British Vogue, sharing: "Following routine scans we became aware our precious cargo needed close monitoring, and understood we needed to prepare for an early arrival." She also revealed that it took "more than a few weeks for the tears of relief to dry and for life with our healthy baby to feel real". As a result of her experience, Beatrice became a patron of the charity Borne, which aims to end premature births through medical research.
She divides her time between her family home in the Cotswolds, and her apartment at St James's Palace in London.
Princess Eugenie
Like her older sister Beatrice, Princess Eugenie also juggles motherhood with a thriving career. She is not a working royal but does support The Firm at larger family occasions.
Eugenie works as a director at art gallery, Hauser & Wirth. Unlike her sister, she chose to attend boarding school at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, where she gained two 'As' in A-Level Art and English Literature, and a 'B' in History of Art. After taking a gap year, she went on to study at Newcastle University and graduated with a 2:1 in English Literature and History of Art in 2012.
© Getty ImagesIt was at university that she met her now-husband Jack Brooksbank, who she married in October 2018 in Windsor. Upon her marriage, she has been styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank. The couple share two sons: four-year-old August and two-year-old Ernest.
© GettySpeaking openly about motherhood during an interview with The Anti-Slavery Collective, a charity she co-founded with her best friend Julia de Boinville in 2017, Eugenie said: "Becoming a parent is the most special, mind-blowing experience of a person's life. My children make my world go around. It's made me hungrier to do the work. I want to educate my children and all young people about being vulnerable, sensitive, and empathetic towards each other. I don't want anyone to reach the age of 21 having not heard about modern slavery, like I did."
© Getty Images*Month unconfirmed
June 2000
Epstein and Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle to mark Prince Andrew's 40th birthday, the Princess Royal’s 50th, the Queen Mother’s 100th and Princess Margaret's 70th, hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
March 2001
Later, in 2014, Virginia Giuffre alleges that at age 17 she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions. The first occasion allegedly occurred in Maxwell’s London townhouse in March 2001. In the court filings and in her memoir released in October 2025, she claimed the other occasions occurred at Epstein's New York mansion and his private Caribbean island.
June 2008
Epstein admits to prostituting minors and is convicted, receiving an 18‑month prison sentence.
2009*
Epstein's former housekeeper, Juan Alessi, testifies during his employer's trial that Andrew received ''daily massages'' at Epstein's Florida home.
July 2009
Epstein is released from prison.
December 2010
Andrew is photographed with Epstein in New York's Central Park.
February 2011
The Mail on Sunday publishes a photo of Virginia's alleged first meeting with Prince Andrew. Andrew later emails Epstein saying ''we are in this together''.
March 2011
Alastair Watson – who spent nine years as Andrew’s private secretary – writes to The Times saying Andrew met Epstein in the ''early 1990s''. Yet eight years later, Andrew told Newsnight that he first encountered Epstein through his ''girlfriend back in 1999'', later saying he saw Epstein ''infrequently and probably no more than once or twice a year''.
July 2011
Andrew resigns as UK trade envoy shortly.
December 2014
In a Florida court filing, Virginia alleges being trafficked by Epstein and also alleges to have been forced to have sex with him, Prince Andrew and other men. The judge later said in 2015 the claims are ''immaterial and impertinent'' to the case against Epstein.
January 2015
Buckingham Palace denies Andrew has committed any impropriety after he is named in US documents linked to Epstein.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Andrew makes his first public engagement since the allegations. He says: ''I just wish to reiterate, and to reaffirm, the statements that have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace.''
2015*
In a civil suit filed against Ghislaine Maxwell, Giuffre testifies that Epstein paid her $15,000 to have sex with Andrew.
May 2016
During a deposition in her case against Maxwell, it emerges that Giuffre lent the infamous photo to the FBI in 2011 but allegedly last saw it packed in a box and shipped from Colorado to Sydney sometime between between 2011 and 2016, when she emigrated to Australia.
June 2018
Alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo visits Buckingham Palace twice to meet Andrew. He is also said to gain entry to St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle after being invited by the Prince.
2019*
A newly released document includes a claim from Johanna Sjoberg, who has said she was an associate of Jeffrey Epstein, alleging that Prince Andrew touched her breast while she was sitting on a couch in Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 2001 - an allegation he has always denied.
August 2019
Epstein is found dead in his prison cell on 10 August, an apparent suicide, after being charged with sex trafficking.
Separately David Rogers, a pilot on Epstein's private jet, claims Andrew was a passenger on past flights with Epstein and Giuffre. Rogers also testifies that Epstein, Andrew and Giuffre travelled to the US Virgin Islands on 11 April 2001.
Buckingham Palace says the report contains ''inconsistencies'' and notes that in some cases Andrew was on a different continent.
In a statement, the Palace says Andrew is ''appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes''.
Andrew also issues a statement: ''At no stage during the limited time I spend with him (Epstein) do I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently leads to his arrest and conviction.''
November 2019
BBC Newsnight broadcasts an interview in which Andrew speaks about his relationship with Epstein ''with no bars.'' He says he has ''no recollection'' of ever meeting Giuffre and adds he could not have had sex with her in March 2001 because he was at Pizza Express with his daughter, Beatrice, that day.
He also says he ''does not regret'' his friendship with Epstein, though he admits he should not have visited him in New York in 2010 to break off their friendship.
Four days after the interview, he announces he is stepping back from royal duties ''for the foreseeable future'' with permission from Queen Elizabeth II.
He says he ''deeply sympathises'' with Epstein’s victims and is willing ''to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.''
December 2019
Giuffre appeals to the British public in a BBC Panorama interview released in December 2019, urging them to ''stand up beside me… help me fight this fight'' and ''not accept this as being OK.''
January 2020
A US prosecutor claims Andrew has provided ''zero co‑operation'' in the Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.
US Attorney Geoffrey Berman speaks outside Epstein's Manhattan mansion saying Andrew's lawyers have been contacted by prosecutors and the FBI, who request to interview him.
March 2020
Andrew’s aide, Dominic Hampshire, writes to Yang Tengbo describing the alleged Chinese spy as one of ''Andrew's closest internal confidants''.
June 2020
Andrew's lawyers say he offered to assist the US Department of Justice ''on at least three occasions this year'' in their Epstein investigation.
Hours later, Berman says Andrew ''again seeks to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to co‑operate,'' though he ''repeatedly declines'' requests to schedule an interview.
August 2021
Giuffre's lawyers file a civil suit against Andrew. The Prince is the only named defendant in the 15‑page claim, though Epstein and Maxwell are referenced throughout.
December 2021
Ghislaine Maxwell is convicted in New York of aiding Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls.
January 2022
A US judge rules the civil case against Andrew may proceed.
Andrew is stripped of his military roles and royal patronages, and he relinquishes his HRH title. Buckingham Palace states Andrew ''continues not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.''
February 2022
Court documents reveal that Andrew and Giuffre reach a ''settlement in principle'' in the civil claim. The papers say Andrew promised to make a ''substantial donation'' to Giuffre’s charity ''in support of victims' rights'', and pledged to ''demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein.''
January 2024
Unsealed documents linked to Ms Giuffre’s civil claim against Ghislaine Maxwell revisit previously made allegations about Prince Andrew - including references to purported sex tapes and claims he was present at an event involving underage girls. Andrew has always denied any involvement in criminal activity.
December 2024
At a High Court hearing it emerges that Yang Tengbo, the alleged Chinese spy, is a ''close'' confidant of Andrew. Andrew issues a statement saying he ceased ''all contact'' with Yang once concerns arose.
Andrew is absent from the royal family's traditional gathering at Sandringham.
April 2025
Giuffre tragically dies by suicide aged 41 in Neergabby, Western Australia.
October 2025
An email reportedly sent by Prince Andrew to Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 - in which he is said to have written, "We are in this together" - has been unearthed by The Sun and is being described as a potential "smoking gun." Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Eugenie, who boasts 1.8 million followers on Instagram, uses her platform to highlight causes close to her heart, including sustainability. Since becoming a mother, her passion for protecting the environment has only increased as she thinks about her children's future. While speaking at the World Economic Forum event in Davos in 2023, Eugenie said: "My son's going to be an activist from two years old. So, he, everything is for them. I talked to Peter Thomson, the UN Special Envoy for Oceans and all he says to me is that I do this for my grandchildren. And that's the same. Every decision we now make has to be for August, what he's going to be able to look at and do and how he's going to live his life."
© InstagramAmong her patronages are the Elephant Family, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the European School of Osteopathy. Eugenie is also particularly passionate about raising awareness of scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves. The Princess underwent corrective surgery aged 12, which involved inserting two eight-inch titanium rods into her spine. She chose to wear a low-back wedding dress to reveal her scoliosis scars to the world. More recently, Eugenie also became a mentor for The King's Foundation's 35 under 35 network of changemakers earlier this year.
