King Charles is reportedly offering strong support to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as they deal with the fallout from their father Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s worsening scandal. The palace recently confirmed that Andrew will be removed from Royal Lodge and will no longer keep his titles. This decision comes as scrutiny continues over his long standing association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Princess Eugenie returned to public royal duties this week for the first time since the confirmation that her father would no longer use the title prince. He has also lost his HRH style and has agreed to give up his Duke of York title. Eugenie attended The King’s Foundation mentors brunch for the 35 under 35 network, where she serves as a mentor. Speaking at the event, she said it was inspiring to spend time with such a talented group of young people and she explained that her own career has been shaped by a lifelong interest in the arts.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Sun that King Charles has made a clear effort to draw his nieces closer during what she described as a hideous period for them. She said the king is determined to give them a meaningful role within the royal circle so that they feel they are contributing rather than being included out of sympathy. According to Seward, Charles feels a sense of responsibility toward the sisters and wants them to feel protected. She added that the gesture shows that the sins of the father are not passed on to his children.

Last week, the two sisters were photographed hugging on a street in Mayfair on the same day Andrew formally had his titles removed. The close moment came as their father faced renewed criticism linked to the long running allegations involving Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew’s ongoing scandal and newly released documents

Andrew has been scrutinized for years over his relationship with Epstein and over sexual assault allegations made by Virginia Giuffre. Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, said she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Andrew on several occasions when she was 17. Andrew has always strongly denied her accusations.

Newly released documents from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform appear to show Epstein acknowledging that Ms Giuffre had her photograph taken with Andrew. This contradicts Andrew’s repeated claim that he has no memory of ever meeting her. The photograph, first published in 2011, shows Andrew with his arm around Ms Giuffre at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell. During his 2019 Newsnight interview, he said he had no recollection of the moment the image was captured.

In 2022, Andrew reached an out of court settlement with Ms Giuffre after she filed a civil lawsuit in the United States accusing him of sexual assault. The settlement amount was not disclosed, and Andrew insisted that agreeing to it did not mean he accepted liability.

As Andrew’s situation continues to unfold, King Charles’s decision to stand firmly beside his nieces has been viewed as both a personal gesture of compassion and a public signal that Beatrice and Eugenie should not bear the weight of their father’s actions.