By Marisa Laudadio
10:38am PST, Feb 20, 2026
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As more revelations about
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to convicted predator
Jeffrey Epstein continue to surface, the fallout is hitting closer to home than ever. His daughter
Princess Eugenie is struggling as the growing scandal engulfs her family.
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"I know that Eugenie feels like she's being tarnished with a brush that's not hers, that's her father's," a close friend of Princess Eugenie and sister
Princess Beatrice told
Page Six, adding that Eugenie has been feeling "very, very frustrated."
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Princess Eugenie and sister Princess Beatrice "are in as good as spirits as they can be," their friend further told Page Six. "But it's a s*** show, a never-ending s*** show."
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Even before Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's stunning arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Princess Eugenie had reportedly taken a step back from seeing her father as she struggled to deal with the ongoing scandal tied to his past relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. However, "I would not say they are estranged — that's not 100 percent true," her friend told Page Six.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles by brother King Charles III in late 2025 and ordered to abandon his lease on Royal Lodge, the sprawling Crown Estate property he called home for more than 20 years. The former Duke of York moved out and into a five-bedroom home on the king's private Sandringham estate in January 2026 while another residence is being renovated for him nearby. "I know that [Princess] Eugenie hasn't really been around to help with all of the packing," her friend told Page Six, adding that sister Princess Beatrice did "a lot more, but they've got kids and jobs, so it's very hard."
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While Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson both lost their titles, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have remained in the royal fold, though they have been keeping a low profile amid their parents' growing scandals. "The girls are trapped in this situation, where the palace is also trying to protect King Charles and the monarchy," another friend of the princesses told Page Six.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's dramatic downfall took another turn in recent days when he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. An investigation was launched following the release of U.S. Justice Department files tied to Jeffrey Epstein which included emails suggesting the former Prince Andrew shared confidential government material with the disgraced financier in 2010 and 2011 when the ex-royal was a U.K. trade envoy.
