By Molly Claire Goddard
9:38am PST, Feb 26, 2026
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According to expert
Richard Fitzwilliams,
Prince William is thinking about forcing Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie out of The Firm over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and
Sarah Ferguson's connection to
Jeffrey Epstein. "William, it is reported, may well take a hard line when he becomes king. It depends on how affected the royal family is by what happens subsequently," he told
Daily Mail. "There is currently the strong possibility of the cases which the police are assessing going forward and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being arrested and very possibly put on trial. If this happens, it may be impossible for the royal family to move forward with any members of the York family attached to it. William and
Kate [Middleton] do not appear to have close ties with the sisters and would probably not miss them."
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Richard Fitzwilliams also pointed out that
Prince William may not see Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as entirely innocent regarding Jeffrey Epstein. "It may fall to William to make a decision on the future of Beatrice and Eugenie. Neither are reportedly particularly close to him or to Kate [Middleton]," he said. "The fact that Beatrice, when 20 and Eugenie, aged 19, visited Epstein in Florida just after his release from prison with their rapacious mother [Sarah Ferguson], is alarming. They must have known who they were visiting and how inappropriate this was. He was under house arrest. One of the most bizarre aspects of the files is the way Sarah Ferguson seems to regard Epstein as part of her extended family. There is obvious sympathy for the predicament of the sisters; mention in the files does not denote wrongdoing."
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While
Prince William may distance himself from Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie,
King Charles III has protected his nieces. "The King reportedly regards their work-life balance, where they both do some charitable work alongside their careers and families, but are not working royals, as admirable," Richard Fitzwilliams said.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson were stripped of their titles and evicted from Royal Lodge because of their friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. The former Duke of York was later arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly giving information to the late criminal while serving as the U.K.'s trade envoy.
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Despite the scandal, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have privately supported Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson. "The Yorks are just about holding it together as a family, but this has put new strains on their relationships," an insider told
Daily Mail. "The last I heard, the daughters were still supporting both parents behind the scenes."
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In response to the drama with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,
Prince William and Kate Middleton issued a statement. "I can confirm the Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims," their representatives said.
