Royal expert says the controversy has deeply affected the York family despite their daughters’ innocence
Princess Andrew’s daughters are being described as collateral damage of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, even though they had no role in their father’s past associations.
Royal author Duncan Larcombe said the sisters have suffered quietly as they watched their parents’ reputations fall apart in public. He linked their distress to Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s connection with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
“It’s sad because in many ways, Andrew’s daughters are victims of Jeffrey Epstein,” Larcombe told The Mirror. “They have done nothing wrong, yet they’ve been forced to sit back and watch their parents being torn apart by their own behaviour.”
He added that the once close family unit has effectively collapsed, alongside Andrew’s royal standing. “That little family bubble they had has gone the same way as his title,” he said. “He’s lost both.”
Recent reports have also suggested that one of the daughters has distanced herself from her father, despite his continued denial of wrongdoing.
“There’s every chance she’s chosen to step back from him,” Larcombe said. “It may only be temporary, but right now that’s likely one of the hardest blows he’s faced.”
He also pointed to her work with modern-day slavery charities as a possible reason for keeping her distance. “Given what’s being said about Andrew, she may feel she has no choice but to separate herself publicly from him,” he explained.
