Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie’s Reported Reason for Skipping Christmas With the Royal Family

It’s been a weird year for the royal family. In addition to the health crises of King Charles III and Kate Middleton, Prince Andrew has continued to be a thorn in the royal family’s side. The Duke of York’s problematic tendencies might also be why Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are reportedly skipping the royal’s Christmas celebration at Sandringham.

The sisters have apparently decided to spend this holiday season with their in-laws for the first time, according to Hello! Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, won’t be spotted during the royal family’s Christmas walk, which is a major tradition at the palace. Their absence is notable because last year the entire family, including Sarah Ferguson, were in attendance for the first time in 32 years.

Her invite last year came on the heels of more Jeffrey Epstein scrutiny for Prince Andrew, so Ferguson’s cameo was done to soften his image. This year, Andrew has stepped away from the royal family’s Christmas celebration on the heels of his current spy scandal. He reportedly has business ties with a Chinese National who has been banned from the U.K., per the BBC. He also may be the source of Andrew’s funding which allowed him to stay at Royal Lodge, the home that Charles has been trying to evict him from all year.

With this ongoing controversy, Andrew has also bowed out of Sandringham to avoid embarrassing his older brother any further on the encouragement of his ex-wife. “The decision for the pair to stay put at the Royal Lodge is thought to have been made easier by Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s plans to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws this year for the first time,” The Independent noted.

Even though People reported that Eugenie and Beatrice decided to skip Sandringham some time ago, the timing does seem curious. It’s almost as if Charles wanted to avoid any scandal with Andrew — and that could include his brother’s family. It will be Charles’ “slimmed-down monarchy” on display as Andrew’s brood, and obviously Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, avoid the royal family tradition. It will feel like a smaller affair, but perhaps that is the best path to take after a tumultuous year for everyone at the palace.

Before you go, click here to see the 100 best photos of the royal family from the past 20 years.