Princess Beatrice will turn 38 on August 8, but this year's celebration is expected to be markedly more subdued than her past birthdays. According to royal author Andrew Lownie, the milestone comes at a difficult time for the York family.
A low-key celebration
The princess has kept a low profile in recent months following the humiliation of her parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, who were stripped of their titles due to disturbing details surrounding their relationship with US paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Earlier this year, newly released US documents shed fresh light on the ex-couple's connection to Epstein, causing embarrassment for the York family and the Firm.
Although Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie, were not affected by the revelations in terms of their royal standing, both have remained largely out of sight. Their only public appearance this year came in June, when they attended the wedding of Peter and Harriet Phillips.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Lownie said: “Much has changed for the York family since Beatrice's last birthday.”
He added: “Her father remains under, in effect, house arrest in Norfolk with the possibility of being charged with sharing confidential information, her mother probably still in hiding abroad.”
A history of extravagant parties
Beatrice's previous birthdays were far more lavish. For her 18th birthday in 2006, she donated a £10,000 dress flown in from New York and hosted an estimated 500 guests “dancing until 3am” in Windsor Castle. The overall cost of the party was estimated at £400,000.
Mr Lownie noted: “The Victorian theme was chosen because Beatrice was born at 8.18pm on August 8, 1988. Guests included Harvey Weinstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.”
For her 28th birthday in 2016, Beatrice held a boujee affair in the Hamptons in New York, joined by high-society friends including hotel heiress Lydia Forte and oil heir Mike Hess.
Uncertain future
This year, however, is a completely different story. The princess reportedly faces “uncertainty” regarding her future. Mr Lownie said her future within the Royal Family is “fraught with uncertainty - compounded by 'the state of her title, her marriage and her business activities which may be resolved by the time she celebrates her birthday next year'.”
