In a significant personal blow, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces a lonely festive season after his daughter, Princess Beatrice, reportedly chose to spend Christmas abroad rather than with him.
A Festive Snub Amid Ongoing Scandal
The royal, who is ninth in line to the throne, has turned down an invitation to join her father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 65, and Sarah Ferguson for what is expected to be their final Christmas at their home, Royal Lodge. The couple agreed to surrender the lease on the Windsor property in October and have been given a year to vacate, a move directly linked to the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
It is understood that Princess Beatrice, 37, was also invited to join King Charles and other senior royals at Sandringham. Instead, she has opted to go on a skiing holiday with her husband, Edo Mapelli Mozzi, and friends. Her sister, Princess Eugenie, is also expected to spend the festive period with her own husband, Jack Brooksbank, leaving their father potentially isolated.
The Final Christmas at Royal Lodge
This Christmas marks a poignant and stark milestone for the former Duke of York. Not only is it his last at the Royal Lodge before an enforced move to a smaller property on the Sandringham estate, but the atmosphere is reported to be particularly bleak. Sources indicate that, for the first time in two decades, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has not decorated the exterior of the home for Christmas, with no wreaths on the gates or the customary tree on the roof.
An insider described his mood to The Sun, stating: "With everything that’s gone on he’s very much like the Grinch. It’s clear this year that festive cheer is in short supply." The decision by his daughters comes in the wake of the recent release of further court documents related to the Epstein case, which has deepened the disgrace surrounding the former royal, who was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in 2022.
Balancing Loyalty and Embarrassment
Friends of Princess Beatrice suggest her choice was born from a desire to avoid further embarrassment for the monarchy while navigating complex family loyalties. "Beatrice doesn’t want to cause any embarrassment and was torn between loyalty to the King and her parents," a friend said. "That is why with Eugenie they went to Buckingham Palace for the pre-Christmas family lunch."
The friend added that Beatrice appreciates the support shown to her by King Charles and Prince William during her parents' troubles, and leaving the country for the holidays was seen as a neutral option. While the King is expected to support his brother's next chapter by providing him with a Sandringham home, this Christmas underscores the profound personal and reputational fall for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who may now face the festivities largely alone.
