For Beatrice and Eugenie, the impact is more emotional than financial. Both sisters have built independent lives. Eugenie lives with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their children, splitting time between Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace and a home in Portugal. Beatrice lives in the Cotswolds with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their family. Still, the knowledge that a piece of their family history will no longer be theirs carries a quiet weight.
Loyalty, distance, and private choices
As their father’s position within the royal family has weakened, both sisters have had to navigate difficult personal choices. They recently joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at Sandringham for Christmas, a move widely seen as a public sign of loyalty to the Crown. At the same time, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson spent what is believed to be their final Christmas at Royal Lodge alone.
Sources close to the family say Andrew and Sarah supported their daughters’ decision to stand with the monarchy. One friend noted that Sarah has always believed her daughters are her greatest contribution to royal life and that her allegiance to the Crown remains firm.
Royal biographer Robert Jobson described the sisters’ attendance at Sandringham as the correct and necessary decision. In royal life, an invitation from the King is not easily declined. It is viewed as duty as much as choice.
Behind the scenes, the situation has not been simple. Insiders suggest Beatrice in particular felt torn between loyalty to her parents and loyalty to the institution that raised her. At one point, she reportedly considered stepping away entirely for a quiet holiday with friends, seeking space from the ongoing tension. Eugenie faced similar decisions as she balanced her growing family life with royal expectations.
Since last autumn, both sisters have kept a notably low public profile. They have attended fewer social events and limited public appearances. Friends say their focus is now on their children, their marriages, and creating stability away from controversy. The drama surrounding their parents has pushed them to seek calmer, more private lives.
Royal Lodge will soon pass back to the Crown Estate. Andrew will move on. The chapter closes.