Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were right to attend the King’s pre-Christmas family lunch despite the continued exclusion of their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, according to royal commentator Laura Windsor.
The York sisters were among family members seen arriving at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for King Charles’s annual Christmas gathering, an event which brings together members of the Royal Family ahead of the festive period.
Their appearance came as Andrew remained absent from royal events following his withdrawal from public life.
Ms Windsor told GB News that the sisters’ attendance should not be viewed as controversial, arguing they should not be held responsible for actions taken by their father.
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“Well, they’re just the offspring, aren’t they? They have really nothing to do with what their father has allegedly done,” she said.
Ms Windsor added that Beatrice and Eugenie’s inclusion was both appropriate and expected, given their position within the family.
“They’re part of the family, and quite rightly, they should be invited to family events,” she said.
The commentator, who has worked as an etiquette advisor on Netflix’s Bridgerton Series 3, serves as a Queen’s Commonwealth Trust Leader, and is an adviser to the Middle Eastern Royal Families, stressed that separating Andrew from his daughters was an important distinction for the monarchy to maintain.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie ‘should not be punished’ for Andrew situation
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She also addressed the longstanding debate about whether relatives of disgraced royals should continue to appear at family occasions, saying the sisters should not be affected by decisions taken about their father’s public role.
Ms Windsor added that their inclusion should not be read as a political or strategic move, but as a reflection of basic family values.
“They haven’t done anything,” she said. “So why would King Charles hold a grudge or be unloyal to the wider York family in general?”
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Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie at the pre-Christmas lunch
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Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have continued to attend private family events in recent years while remaining non-working members of the Royal Family.
Both have maintained close relationships with senior royals while pursuing private careers away from official duties.
Their presence at the Christmas lunch follows a pattern seen in previous years, where they have appeared at family occasions without being part of the formal working royal set-up.
Andrew, by contrast, has remained excluded from such gatherings following his decision to step back from royal duties and relinquish the use of his titles.
Princess Beatrice driving her car into Buckingham Palace
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Ms Windsor’s comments suggest the Palace is deliberately drawing a line between Andrew and his daughters, allowing Beatrice and Eugenie to retain their place within the wider family while keeping their father firmly outside the public-facing royal circle.
The Christmas lunch is traditionally a private event and is distinct from the Christmas Day service at Sandringham, which attracts intense public and media attention.
Attendance at the lunch is often seen as an indicator of who remains in good standing within the family, even if they are not active working royals.
By attending the event, Beatrice and Eugenie appeared to reaffirm their position as family members rather than public representatives of the monarchy.