Royal biographer Andrew Lownie has issued a stark warning that King Charles is repeating major historical mistakes in his treatment of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, creating a confusing "half in, half out" status for the York sisters within the monarchy.
Mixed Signals from the Palace
According to Lownie's analysis on his Lownie Report Substack, the King appears to be sending contradictory messages regarding Beatrice and Eugenie's royal standing. While the sisters were excluded from this weekend's traditional Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, they have received invitations to other significant royal engagements, including Royal Ascot.
"They're banned from Royal Ascot, they're banned from Easter, then suddenly they are now coming to Ascot," Lownie observed, highlighting the inconsistent approach that mirrors previous royal controversies.
Behind-the-Scenes Power Dynamics
The royal expert suggests these mixed signals may stem from an internal power struggle within the monarchy. "Tom Sykes has pointed out that the Easter ban shows the waning power of the King in the face of an increasingly dominant William," Lownie explained, questioning whether Charles is repeating errors made by his father and grandmother in managing royal family dynamics.
This assessment comes despite the fact that Beatrice and Eugenie's names appear hundreds of times in recent US Department of Justice document releases, though there has never been any suggestion of their involvement in wrongdoing.
Complete Ostracization of Prince Andrew
In stark contrast to his daughters' ambiguous position, Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains entirely excluded from royal life. The Duke of York is expected to spend a solitary Easter Sunday in his modest new quarters on the Sandringham estate, marking a dramatic fall from last year when he and former wife Sarah Ferguson accompanied King Charles and Queen Camilla to the Windsor Easter service.
There appears to be virtually no chance of Andrew making any future public appearances alongside the King, Queen, or Prince and Princess of Wales during traditional Windsor walkabouts or official ceremonies.
Sarah Ferguson's Disappearance
The York sisters' mother, Sarah Ferguson, has also been firmly sidelined, virtually vanishing from public view in recent weeks. Royal sources indicate she has been "sofa surfing" at the homes of wealthy friends worldwide, with her precise location remaining unknown since her last public appearance on 12 December 2025 at the christening of her granddaughter Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi.
"She went to Northern Ireland. She went to a spa there. She went to Verbier. She stayed in a chalet lent to her by Paddy McNally, who's an old friend," royal expert Matt Wilkinson revealed on HELLO!'s A Right Royal podcast, describing Ferguson as appearing increasingly unkempt and burdened by recent troubles.
Contrasting Fortunes Within the Family
While their parents face exclusion, Beatrice and Eugenie were reportedly spotted in good spirits at a Cotswolds gathering last month, with Vogue writer Plum Sykes describing them as "doing fine" despite their uncertain royal status.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were notably absent from last year's Easter service, choosing to spend the weekend with their children in Norfolk, and also missed the 2024 celebrations shortly after Kate Middleton shared her emotional video message about beginning preventative chemotherapy.
This complex web of inclusions, exclusions, and ambiguous positioning within the royal family suggests ongoing tensions and evolving power dynamics that continue to shape the monarchy's public face and internal relationships.
