Beatrice and Eugenie won’t be at royal Easter service

2 hours ago

ShareSave

Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondent

ShareSave

Reuters

Eugenie and Beatrice will not attend the Easter Sunday church service with the King

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will not be attending the Royal Family’s traditional Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle.

It is understood that the daughters of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson have made “alternative plans” for Easter.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will be at the Easter Matins service, with the Prince and Princess of Wales also expected to attend, having missed it last year.

The Easter gathering at St George’s Chapel is an annual event in the royal diary, with members of the family facing photographers as they arrive for the church service.

While they might not be attending this Easter, the door has been left open for the princesses to attend future royal events and “family celebrations”, such as the Christmas gathering at Sandringham.

The sisters’ absence from attending the service in the 15th Century chapel is understood to be with the agreement of the King.

Their parents are in disgrace - what now for Beatrice and Eugenie?

Sarah Ferguson’s ‘close Epstein ties’ scrutinised in US lawmaker’s letter

Princess Eugenie steps down from anti-slavery charity

Last Easter, Mountbatten-Windsor, Ferguson and their daughters were all at the Windsor service, which is seen as a family event rather than an official engagement.

But since then Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and has moved to Sandringham, Norfolk.

He no longer lives with his ex-wife, who also left the couple’s former home at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Mountbatten-Windsor and his family have been engulfed by the Epstein scandal, with continuing questions about links to the US sex offender.

A US lawmaker, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, last week asked Ferguson to testify about her ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing from his connections with Epstein.

Earlier this month, Princess Eugenie stepped down as patron of charity Anti-Slavery International, a role she had held for seven years.

Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

UK Royal Family

Princess Eugenie

Princess Beatrice