Disgraced ex-Prince Andrew is reportedly reeling over the fact his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have retained their royal titles, according to royal author Andrew Lownie.
The former Duke of York, 66, was stripped of his royal titles and military honours over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein- a relationship thrust back into the spotlight following the release of the Epstein files.
The fallout has been swift and far-reaching. Andrew has been evicted from Royal Lodge by King Charles III and was recently arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Despite his dramatic fall from grace, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 36, have held onto their titles- a detail Lownie believes will sting for a deeply personal reason.
According to the royal commentator, Andrew may now be required to bow to his own daughters under royal protocol.
“Andrew of course stands on ceremony, titles and all these things are very, very important to him, and the pecking order and people bowing and curtseying,” Lownie said on his Substack, The Lownie Report.
“I think this is what is going to upset him now, his own daughters; he will have to bow to them.”
While the idea may seem surprising, royal biographer Robert Hardman agreed the scenario is likely.
Speaking on the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential podcast, he said: “He will have to bow to everybody – that’s assuming he’s in the room with the rest of the family.”
When asked if Andrew would be “happy” with that, Hardman replied swiftly: “No, I don’t.”
Despite losing his public titles, there are signs Andrew is still clinging to elements of his former status behind closed doors.
Moving boxes labelled HRH were recently spotted being carried into his new residence, Marsh Farm, on King Charles III’s private Sandringham Estate.
The father-of-two is currently staying at nearby Wood Farm while renovations are completed.
It is also understood he will retain a scaled-back household when he relocates, with staff reportedly instructed to address him as “Sir”.
“He’s lost his HRH, prince and duke titles and so staff, who didn’t know how to correctly address him, have been instructed that he is still to be called ‘Sir’,” a source told The Sun.
“He will be given his own chef and valet at Marsh Farm which is a climbdown to the luxury he was previously afforded.”
The publication reported King Charles is personally funding his younger brother’s exile and retirement to ensure he does not become a burden on others.
Meanwhile, despite Beatrice and Eugenie retaining their titles, the palace is said to be taking a cautious approach to their future roles.
Both sisters were named in the Epstein files, though being mentioned does not imply wrongdoing.
Speaking on The Times podcast The Royals with Roya and Kate, royal editors Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah said the situation remains under close review.
“I think it’s a watching brief from the palace… Who knows how long this (the fallout from the Epstein files) will go on for?” Nikkhah said.
“You get the sense that they (the Royal Family) want to see which way this story will go, and what else might come out, and a decision will then be taken.”
Mansey agreed, suggesting the palace’s handling of the York sisters could signal a broader shift in the monarchy’s future.
“How the palace handles this Beatrice and Eugenie ‘problem’ will be a sign for how they’re going to proceed with the monarchy, and that kind of stripped-down royal family,” she said.
“It does matter how the palace reacts to this.”
Nikkhah added the situation has cast doubt over the sisters’ long-term roles, despite previously being called upon to support the Royal Family when needed.
“I sense that won’t happen again. And it’s shows a sort of ruthlessness from the royal family,” she said.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.skynews.com.au ’
