Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie Are Andrew's "Only Passport Into the Royal Family," Says Royal Expert

Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor walking in a crowd on the way to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In the run-up to Christmas 2025, the question on many royal watchers' minds was whether Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie would spend the holiday with the rest of the Royal Family in Norfolk. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor wasn't invited to the traditional Sandringham gathering after his titles were stripped in October, and although his daughters could've stayed home last year, they opted to join King Charles for Christmas.

Speaking on the Sun's "Royal Exclusive" show, Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said that even if Eugenie and Beatrice wanted to skip a royal Christmas, she thinks the former Duke of York would've convinced the girls otherwise.

Seward said that Andrew "wants to keep a foot in" with his family, adding, "A, he wants to know what’s going on. B, he’d want to know what people were saying about him."

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice wearing checked coats and walking to church Christmas 2025 — Princess Beatrice's husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, is pictured with his wife (right) and Princess Eugenie for the Christmas morning church service at Sandringham on December 25, 2025.

Without an invitation of his own, the disgraced royal can only get a glimpse at his family's goings on through his daughters.

"And he’s always said that, and Fergie has said, ‘the girls are my passport,' Seward continued. "They are Andrew’s only passport into the Royal Family now. And I’m absolutely sure that he persuaded them."

Royal commentator Charlie Rae also noted that "Andrew wants to keep an eye on what’s going on," adding since "he's not at the table anymore" the former duke would likely turn to his daughters and "be on the phone saying, 'Right, who said what?'"

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie walking to church in coats with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — Princess Beatrice (right) and Princess Eugenie are pictured walking to church with their father in 2018.

Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, marked the holiday privately, with Entitled author Andrew Lownie telling Cosmopolitan UK the former couple "would take advantage of this last Christmas to do all sorts of entertaining" at their longtime home, Royal Lodge, before they're evicted.

"They've got friends...there are friends that go back a long way, and [have] stuck with them," he said. "Andrew still has his shooting friends."

As for his next move, the former duke is set to move into a remote property on the Sandringham estate, with multiple royal sources confirming that The King hopes Andrew and Sarah will be out before the family celebrates Easter in Windsor.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.