In a significant and unexpected change of plans, Princess Beatrice joined the wider Royal Family for their traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham this year. The move represents a major festive U-turn for the eldest daughter of the Duke of York.
A Surprise Appearance at Sandringham
Both Princess Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie, were photographed walking the short distance from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene's Church on Christmas morning. They were part of the main royal contingent, which included King Charles III and Queen Camilla, alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Beatrice, dressed in a brown coat, was seen holding hands with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Her attendance came as a surprise, as it had been widely reported that she would spend the festive period abroad with friends this year. This was seen as a way to avoid the difficult choice between joining the official royal celebrations or being with her father, Prince Andrew, at his home in Windsor.
According to reports, Beatrice simply decided to "change her mind" about her holiday arrangements at the last minute, opting for a public display of unity with the Firm.
Andrew and Fergie's Isolated Christmas
While his daughters celebrated at Sandringham, the disgraced Duke of York spent Christmas Day with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, at the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor. The couple have been banished from official royal duties and stripped of their titles due to Andrew's association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
This Christmas is poignant for Andrew, as it will be his last at Royal Lodge, the home he has occupied for over two decades. He and Sarah Ferguson are being forced to relinquish the lease and vacate the property early in the New Year.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond commented on the situation, noting, "Royal Lodge is said to be in quite a state, and many of his possessions have already been removed." She suggested the strain of the ongoing Epstein scandal may have impacted Andrew and Sarah's famously close post-divorce relationship. "Christmas has a habit of heightening emotions and exacerbating family divisions," Bond added.
Shadow of Scandal Looms into the New Year
Andrew's hopes for a quieter 2026, as he prepares to move to a new home in Norfolk, remain under threat from the unresolved Epstein fallout. The recent release of court documents related to Epstein has kept the duke in the headlines, though he continues to vehemently deny any wrongdoing.
Jennie Bond indicated that while the most damaging revelations may already be public, investigative journalists are not ready to let the story rest. Further releases of Epstein-related documents and scrutiny of Andrew's financial dealings mean the threat of new scandals persists.
The contrasting Christmas scenes—Beatrice and Eugenie with the King at Sandringham, and Andrew with Fergie at a soon-to-be-lost home in Windsor—visually underscore the deep and ongoing divisions within this branch of the royal family as another turbulent year comes to a close.
