By Molly Claire Goddard
8:30am PST, Dec 23, 2025
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While Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie
departed Buckingham Palace all smiles after the annual royal Christmas lunch, a gloomy Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was
spotted riding alone in Windsor Great Park on a rainy day.
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Body language expert
Judi James suggests that the stark contrast between Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie's cheerful demeanor and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's somber mood was deliberate. "Andrew's appearance could hardly be more designed to create a total visual contrast to that of his grinning, chuckling daughters, cocooned in the warmth of their car as they drove off to a joyful-looking family Xmas that he would apparently not be attending," she told
The Mirror. "If you want to not make people close to you, feel any trace of guilt about going to a bash you are not, you might normally wave them off cheerily while cuddling up in front of a TV movie with Deliveroo on speed dial."
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In the fallout of his friendship with
Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles, evicted from Royal Lodge and essentially banished from The Firm. "Andrew appears to have gone full-on 'Marley's ghost' here, with the rain dripping of the peak of his riding hat running obligingly in front of his face like a mini-Niagara," Judi James
observed. "Teeth gritted and eyes fixed ahead to suggest a determination to soldier on here, despite the rain that is equally determined to make him look like a sodden figure of solitary dejection on his horse. His features show no sign of riding pleasure or exhilaration here. He just sits in the saddle looking solemn and gloomy."
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While Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie made an appearance at the family gathering, they will reportedly not be present for Christmas Day at Sandringham. A source told
The Sun that the 37-year-old plans to "avoid embarrassment" by spending the day skiing with her husband,
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and friends instead. The 35-year-old will allegedly stay in Portugal with her family and husband
Jack Brooksbank.
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Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have found themselves caught in the fallout from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and
Sarah Ferguson's very public scandal linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
King Charles III allowed his nieces to retain their titles and has kept them in the royal fold despite the drama. "Overall, it falls to the princesses to soothe family divisions," the insider told the
The Mail on Sunday.
