Beatrice and Eugenie Are Puzzling Together Andrew's Arrest

Princess Eugenie wears a bright red dress and a black ribbon on her head, while her sister Princess Beatrice wears a black and white patterned dress with a white hat featuring a black bow — (Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are said to be "in a state" following their father's arrest on February 19. On Thursday morning, police arrived at Wood Farm, where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is staying on the Sandringham estate, to arrest him on suspicion of misconduct in public office. In the aftermath, sources say that Andrew's daughters are looking back and reassessing how it's come to this.

Per the Telegraph, the York sisters are "understood to be 'in a state' following their father’s arrest, with one of the girls thought to be with their mother Sarah Ferguson." The former Duchess of York has not been seen in public since September, and it's been rumored that she's staying in the Middle East at the moment.

The former Duke of York, who worked as a trade envoy for the U.K. until 2011, has been accused of sharing confidential information with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice walking to church on Christmas day — Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice walk to church with the Royal Family on December 25, 2025.

Newspapers with headlines about Prince Andrew's arrest — Coverage of former Prince Andrew's arrest.

Another source told People that Beatrice and Eugenie, both of whom are mothers to kids five and under, are "trying to stay away from" the situation with Andrew. "They have young children, and this is their grandfather—their focus is on protecting their own children from this," the insider added.

The sisters are "also putting pieces of the puzzle together in real time and realizing they may have been used," the source told People.

In emails released by the Department of Justice in January, both Andrew and Ferguson involve Beatrice and Eugenie in their correspondence with Epstein. Sarah also mentions bringing her daughters to lunch with the late sex offender in one message.

An insider says that for the sisters, their parent's actions must "feel like a complete betrayal. They’re heartbroken—but a dad is still your dad, and a mom is still your mom. Love for a parent isn’t a light switch. It’s an incredibly painful and introspective moment for them."

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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.