Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will reportedly not attend the royal family’s traditional Easter Sunday church service in Windsor.
Amid continuing scrutiny linked to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal involving their parents Andrew Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, it’s said Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, have agreed not to join senior members of the royal family at the Easter Matins service – a decision understood to have been made with the “agreement and understanding” of King Charles, 77. The service, held at St George’s Chapel and followed by a private lunch at Windsor Castle, is a longstanding fixture in the royal calendar.
The apparent upcoming absence of Beatrice and Eugenie, reported by the Daily Telegraph, comes after their names appeared in emails connected to Jeffrey Epstein, 66 at the time of his death, released by the US Department of Justice in February.
The correspondence has drawn renewed attention to the scandal that led to the withdrawal from public life of their father, the former Prince Andrew, 66, and scrutiny of their mother Sarah also 66.
It is understood the decision does not amount to a permanent exclusion from royal events.
Beatrice and Eugenie are expected to attend future family gatherings, despite reports suggesting they had been frozen out.
Their looming absence from Easter follows claims they may also not be invited to Royal Ascot this summer, an event they have regularly attended.
Reports state the sisters were taken to New York by Sarah shortly after Epstein’s release from prison in July 2009, following a 13-month sentence for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Their names appear multiple times in the tranche of emails disclosed earlier this year, contributing to heightened media attention.
King Charles, who is still battling cancer, and Queen Camilla, 78, are expected to attend the Easter service alongside other members of the royal family.
The gathering traditionally brings together senior royals at St George’s Chapel before they return to Windsor Castle for a private meal.
In 2024, Prince William, 43, and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, did not attend the Easter service, instead spending the holiday privately with their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
Andrew made what was thought to be one of his final public appearances at the event last year.
He arrived briefly, entering the chapel quickly before reappearing shortly before the King and Queen and remaining at the back of the group.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source uk.news.yahoo.com ’
