Ex-Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Share Their Thoughts on Beatrice and Eugenie Spending Christmas with the Royals

“Andrew and Sarah would have 1,000 percent supported it,” a family friend tells PEOPLE.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie faced a delicate choice this Christmas amid the ongoing fallout surrounding their parents, the former Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

On Christmas morning, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, attended church at Sandringham with King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and other royal family members. Their presence at the monarchy’s most public holiday ritual highlighted their alignment with the Crown, while their parents celebrated privately 140 miles away at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Although Andrew, 65, and Ferguson, 66, were excluded from the official family gathering due to renewed scrutiny over Andrew’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a family friend says the former couple fully supported their daughters joining the royal festivities.

“They live and die by the monarchy, so this didn’t surprise me at all. And Andrew and Sarah would have 1,000 percent supported it,” the friend told PEOPLE.
“Sarah has always said her greatest gift to the monarchy was her girls. She will continue to hold her allegiance to the Crown,” they added.

Royal biographer Robert Jobson agreed that Beatrice and Eugenie made the right call by accepting King Charles’ invitation, viewing it as a demonstration of loyalty amid the turbulence.

“They did the right thing – showing loyalty to King Charles and the Crown. It’s easy to interpret this as a snub, but they would say, ‘I’m a royal princess, I’m in line to the throne, and I’ve been invited to the King’s Christmas celebrations—you don’t turn down the King,’” Jobson, whose latest book Windsor Legacy was released on Jan. 6, told PEOPLE.
“If you receive an invitation, you go. It’s not really an invitation—it’s a command.”

The sisters’ united front with their husbands during the holiday underscored the difficult balance they face: staying publicly loyal to the monarchy while privately managing family tensions.

Meanwhile, Andrew and Ferguson marked Christmas at Royal Lodge, the family’s longtime home from which Andrew was forced to vacate following the removal of his titles and royal privileges. This was expected to be their final holiday at Royal Lodge, leading to speculation that Beatrice and Eugenie might join them—but insiders say the sisters’ decision was less about choosing sides and more about walking a careful line.

A week before Christmas, the sisters attended King Charles’ Christmas luncheon at Buckingham Palace on Dec. 16, another event their father was excluded from. Beatrice and Eugenie were all smiles as they drove together, showing a united front. The sisters have largely kept a low profile since their father’s scandal erupted in October, avoiding most social events.

“They’ve been very low-key lately, mostly keeping to family-only celebrations,” a source said.

The family reemerged briefly at the christening of Beatrice’s daughter, Athena, at St. James’s Palace on Dec. 12. Andrew and Sarah deliberately kept a low profile, arriving and leaving discreetly, avoiding photographs with Beatrice, and skipping the after-party in central London.

For Beatrice and Eugenie, the choice this Christmas was about more than institutional loyalty—it was personal.

“They’ve found love and happiness in their lives and have families of their own. That’s where their focus is,” Jobson said. “Unfortunately, their parents still bring drama into their lives.”