By Molly Claire Goddard
7:18am PST, Nov 5, 2025
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According to royal expert
Duncan Larcombe,
Prince Harry does not want to cut off contact with his cousins
Princess Beatrice and
Princess Eugenie over their parents
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and
Sarah Ferguson's connection to
Jeffrey Epstein. For her part, Meghan Markle wants nothing to do with the scandal. "Harry has always been close to Beatrice and Eugenie," the reporter told
The Mirror. "Meghan will be very aware of the sensitivities as she's very media-conscious. She won't want to be seen to be too sympathetic toward them, so she will keep her distance. I don't think she could object to Harry privately supporting them, but they will be on very different pages."
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While
Prince Harry "didn't see a massive amount" of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie growing up, the trio maintained a close bond. "He'll have a lot of sympathy for Beatrice and Eugenie, because they are collateral damage in this horrendous unravelling of the House of York," Duncan Larcombe said. "It's not their fault that their mom and dad [Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor] are in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons, but it puts them under incredible pressure. When Harry went to America, Beatrice was one of the few members of the royal family who kept in touch with him and supported him in making his own decisions."
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Since
Prince Harry has dealt with backlash since leaving the royal family in 2020, he might be able to relate to what Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are enduring. "Harry will be very concerned about how they are and how they're coping with what's happening. The family seems to be imploding, very, very publicly, which Harry will know makes it particularly painful for those involved in the fallout," Duncan Larcombe said.
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However, Meghan Markle's loyalty to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie may not be as strong as
Prince Harry's. "With Meghan, there's a divide there," Duncan Larcombe said. "The Jeffrey Epstein situation is hugely sensitive, especially in America and of course, Epstein, [disgraced film producer]
Harvey Weinstein and
Ghislaine Maxwell were photographed together at Beatrice's 18th birthday."
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Despite
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle not agreeing on their relationships with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, they are reportedly in agreement about Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson. "Neither Harry nor Meghan will want to be seen to be associated with Andrew or Sarah Ferguson. From Meghan's point of view, it's probably a commercial thing. From Harry's point of view, it's probably more of an emotional thing," Duncan Larcombe claimed.
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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson were stripped of their royal titles and forced to move out of Royal Lodge because of their friendships with Jeffrey Epstein. "The Yorks are an extremely close-knit family. The disgrace of Sarah Ferguson has followed that of Prince Andrew, who has become an international pariah," royal expert
Richard Fitzwilliams said. "Princess Beatrice and
Princess Eugenie will find their parents'
predicament devastating."
