Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie appear set to spend Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham, a move that would place them away from both of their parents, Sarah and Andrew.
Royal expert Andrew Lownie made the claim on his Substack after the York sisters attended the royal family’s pre Christmas lunch hosted by King Charles. Senior royals were present, including William and Catherine, while Andrew and Sarah were reportedly not invited.
Lownie believes the contrast is deliberate. He suggests Andrew will spend Christmas alone at Royal Lodge, calling it a powerful symbol of his standing within the family.
“The contrast with his daughters is key,” Lownie wrote, adding that Beatrice and Eugenie continue to appear at royal events and may join the wider family at Sandringham rather than spend the holiday with their parents.
He also said Andrew would understand the message this sends. According to Lownie, King Charles is operating in a very different environment from previous monarchs, with limited public goodwill and little tolerance for reputational risk.
“The margins for manoeuvre are narrower,” he explained, noting there is no appetite inside the Palace for gestures that could spark controversy.
Lownie went further, suggesting Andrew’s absence from Sandringham signals something final. In his view, the former Duke of York’s exclusion shows his exile from royal life is not temporary but permanent.
