10 Rumors About Princess Beatrice We Couldn't Ignore

Princess Beatrice's name made headlines in 2025 — and not in a good way. The drama? Her parents lost their titles due to their close association with the late convicted sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein. Once known as Sarah, Duchess of York, and Prince Andrew, Beatrice's mom and dad became known as Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. And, while there has been speculation that Sarah Ferguson suffered the loss of status more than Andrew did, the fact of the matter is that the whole York family was humiliated — including Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie.

As the media zeroed in on Ferguson and Mountbatten-Windsor's dealings, the depth of their ties to Epstein became alarmingly clear. While Ferguson once reportedly called the sex trafficker a "supreme friend," Mountbatten-Windsor told him that they were "in this together" with reference to sexual assault allegations. These horrifying exchanges have led the press to turn an eye toward Beatrice and Eugenie, as well. Although the girls lacked their parents' close association with Epstein, they have potentially been involved in other aspects of the York family downfall. Rumors about Princess Eugenie hint at a rough road ahead, and the hearsay about Beatrice hints that things may be even more difficult for the eldest York girl.

The former Prince Andrew was never the same after his disastrous BBC "Newsnight" interview — and neither was Princess Beatrice. Andrew agreed to sit for the 2019 interview to clarify his relationship with the late sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein. And, although he famously told Queen Elizabeth II that he thought the television appearance had been a success, that was clearly not the case. At one point, Andrew told journalist Emily Maitlis that he didn't regret his association with Epstein. "The people I met and the opportunities I was given to learn, either by him or because of him, were actually very useful," he said at the time, according to the Independent.

Interestingly, rumor has it that Beatrice helped organize her father's "Newsnight" interview — and she was displeased with the results. A friend of the princess' told the Daily Mail that following the interview, Beatrice attended a birthday gathering for her then-fiancé, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Apparently, the princess failed to keep up appearances and put on a cheerful face. "Beatrice was sombre and make-up-free for the birthday dinner. She was probably worried that her mascara would run. She seemed quite tearful at times. In fact, Beatrice has been in tears every day since the interview went out," they shared. Although Andrew initially thought the interview had gone well, Beatrice seemed to know otherwise. The princess apparently has a better feel for public opinion than her parents.

Given Princess Beatrice's complicated feelings toward her father, it's hardly a surprise that she has supported her mother's desire to move on — at least, that is, according to rumor. A source close to the family formerly known as the Yorks told Closer that Sarah Ferguson might be interested in exploring new romantic possibilities. Although Ferguson resided with her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, until 2025, the pair had been divorced since 1996. "Sarah's told her daughter and her inner circle that she's been devastated by recent events but she's never going to give up on love. She's been open about finding a proper gentleman to help her enjoy life – someone successful, kind and financially secure," dished the insider.

The same source went on to claim that Beatrice supported Ferguson's romantic aspirations — although cautiously so. "Beatrice wants her mum to move on but also fears how Andrew would take it ...  she just wants her parents to find their own peace. [Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson have] been separated for decades and clinging to the past isn't healthy," they alleged. Despite the fact that the former Duke and Duchess of York lived together for so many years, their relationship has not been as rosy as it may appear. As an insider told Andrew Lownie for his book, "Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York," "She realized it wouldn't work ... There is no physical side to their relationship."

Princess Beatrice's parents may be on the royal out, but that doesn't mean that she will be following suit. A number of high-ranking royals have hoped to shield Beatrice from the consequences of her parents' actions — and Princess Catherine is believed to be among them. In November 2025 — just weeks after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson lost their royal titles — Catherine made her feelings toward Beatrice clear. The Princess of Wales invited Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie, to attend her Christmas party. According to royal experts, this move was significant.

Discussing this topic with Fox News Digital, royal expert, Neil Sean, revealed, "Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie received personal invitations for this year's 'Together at Christmas' from Princess Catherine's office." Apparently, Catherine would have approved these invites personally — hinting at her king feelings toward the sisters. "This is Catherine's project, and she has the final say — very similar to the way Prince William operates Earthshot," Sean noted. Unfortunately, however, the royal expert also observed that it might be difficult for Beatrice to accept this offer, given that her presence could be a source of controversy. That being said, it seems like Catherine would actually like for Beatrice to attend in order to protect the monarchy's image. "Above all, yes, the royal family wants to be seen as united amid what has been a very difficult year," he said.

Unity among high-ranking royals is one thing, but associating with the former Duke and Duchess of York is another. While Princess Beatrice may be encouraged to rub shoulders with the Prince and Princess of Wales, the same hardly applies to her own parents. After all, Sarah Ferguson and the ex-Prince Andrew are no longer welcome at royal events. For Beatrice to be seen with them in public would be damaging to her reputation. "Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie will need to be careful and keep their distance from their parents to a degree to protect their credibility," royal expert, Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. 

Some reports indicate that Beatrice is totally on-board with this dynamic. While the princess may feel that avoiding her parents is far from ideal, she has been a part of the royal family for long enough to know how the palace operates. As one source from within the palace told Rob Shuter's #Shuterscoop substack, Beatrice and Eugenie "love both their parents deeply. But they also understand the firm moves as a single organism. When the palace shifts, they feel it — and they have to adapt." Beatrice and Eugenie are not the only ones who may have to adapt. In the same interview with Fox News Digital, Fordwich claimed that Ferguson and Mountbatten-Windsor would like accommodate Beatrice's current needs. "Andrew and Sarah adore their children. They want the best for them," she said.

Just because Princess Beatrice has been permitted to maintain her royal titles, however, does not meant that she is above scrutiny. Her parents' scandals have drawn extra attention from high-ranking courtiers — and many are unhappy with Beatrice's behavior. The chief complaint was a tea that Beatrice threw at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event took place as increasingly scandalous information came out about Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. A palace insider told Closer, "It was seen as tone-deaf, especially given the venue's reputation and the recent controversies surrounding Andrew and Sarah. William and Kate were genuinely upset when the pictures emerged. They have been very supportive of Beatrice and Eugenie and hope now that they will tow the palace line." 

Rumor has it that Beatrice's tea raised so many eyebrows that the palace has considered tightening the reins on her activities. In the same interview with Closer, the aforementioned source shared, "There's now a push inside the palace to impose an 'office-style' approval system on Beatrice and Eugenie's future activities — to ensure there's no repeat of such headlines. They can't risk another scandal linked to the York name." In practice, this would mean that the princesses would have to formally request permission to hold events and wait for the palace's decision before sending out invites. This would represent a big change for Beatrice and her social life.

Part of the reason why Princess Beatrice caught so much flak for her tea party in Saudi Arabia pertains to her father's relationship to the region. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent a lot of time in Saudi Arabia as the U.K.'s special representative for International Trade and Investment. One of the many rumors surrounding the former Prince Andrew hints that he might have leveraged that position in the Middle East to gain accesses to luxury experiences, such as top-notch golf courses and VIP seats. One 2019 exposé in the Daily Mail reported that Andrew had abused his diplomatic role to arrange business opportunities for his personal friends.

Because of Andrew's questionable past, there have been concerns about Beatrice's more recent dealings in the Middle East. In 2024, she attended the APEC conference in Abu Dhabi. At the time, American journalist, Hadley Gamble, told the Daily Mail, "There was a general feeling that Beatrice was an unofficial ambassador for the U.K. Beatrice was quite literally in the inner circle at a gathering of global energy CEOs, top finance guys and policy makers." This experience may have been formative for Beatrice, but it has also led some royal watchers to wonder what exactly the princess' dealings entail. As royal expert, Barbara Davies, put it in a 2025 piece in the Daily Mail, there have been "suggestions that Beatrice is unofficially resuming her father's role as UK trade envoy."

Princess Beatrice's connections to ex-Prince Andrew's complex financial world go beyond her relationship to the Middle East. In April 2022, the princess was tied to an inquiry into Andrew's relationship to an ex-banker by the name of Selman Turk. Court documents reported on by The Telegraph revealed that Turk had transferred £750,000 — or approximately $1 million — into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's account. At the time of the transfer, Turk said that the money was a wedding present for Beatrice.

As if this all wasn't strange enough, Turk had been accused of stealing astronomical amounts of money from a wealthy Turkish woman called Nebahat Evyap Isbilen. According to court documents, Isbilen wanted to get her money back — and she was certain that a great deal of it had ended up in the York family coffers. Per a lawsuit filed in 2022, Isbilen believed that £1.1 million ($1.5) of her funds had been sent to Mountbatten-Windsor, while an additional £225,000 ($300,000) had gone to Sarah Ferguson. In 2023, it was reported that Mountbatten-Windsor and Ferguson had reached a settlement with Isbilen in which they likely returned parts of the money.

Friends of Beatrice told the Daily Mail that she had been unaware of the wedding gift that had been made in her name. "She knew nothing about this, poor thing," one acquaintance claimed. Even so, Beatrice's association with the case did not help her public image.

Rumor has it that the confusing nature of Princess Beatrice's financial dealings abroad has been brought to the attention of none other than Prince William. As reported by the Daily Mail, William has expressed concern that his cousin might be inadvertently involved something scandalous. Because of this, he has apparently asked Beatrice to undergo an investigation into her finances. Or, as one royal insider told the publication, "William is pushing for [Beatrice and Princess Eugenie] to let some sort of ethics check be run on their finances to ensure nothing can be linked back to any of their father's less salubrious contacts and thus avoid future scandal. It might lead to them having to return some interests."

Of course, this would be easier said than done. According to the same source, one of the biggest challenges would be cross-referencing Beatrice's contacts with the former Prince Andrew's. "Whether [the two princesses] will agree, or even if it's possible to sort out the tangled web without access to Andrew's accounts – which he won't allow – isn't known," they added. Beatrice and Eugenie also may stand to lose a lot of money if they allow the palace to inquire into their finances. "No one knows what influence their father's contacts had in their formative years. For most of their gilded lives he was their financial adviser," another insider added.

Regardless of her financial dealings, Princess Beatrice appeared primed for a royal comeback mere weeks after her parents' scandal broke. In November 2025, she was named Deputy Patron of Outward Bound, a charity that provides youth outdoor experiences. This appointment was viewed as especially significant given that Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son, Prince Edward, accepted a simultaneous role as the charity's Royal Patron. Edward is considered among the most respected members of the firm, and Beatrice's association with him is widely viewed as an honor.

The timing of Beatrice's new appointment, however, raised eyebrows, as it happened so shortly after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson agreed to vacate their residence at the Royal Lodge. It didn't take long for royal watchers to whisper that Beatrice's patronage had been the result of tough negotiations between Andrew and King Charles III. Writing for the Daily Mail, royal expert, Richard Eden, reported that Andrew only agreed to leave the lodge after Charles committed to helping his daughters. "It was agreed that not only would there be no action taken by the king against Beatrice and Eugenie ... but they would be allowed to accept new official royal roles," Eden explained. Beatrice's Outward Bound appointment was largely viewed as proof that Charles would fulfill his end of the deal. As she accepted the position, Beatrice was honored at a St. James Palace event.

Queen Elizabeth II was known to have a close relationship with Princess Beatrice, but in 2025, Beatrice lost one of the few remaining things connections to her late grandmother. When Beatrice's parents were evicted from their long-time home, The Royal Lodge at Windsor, they didn't just step away from a 30-room mansion but also a number of historical items connecting them to their ancestors. The most significant is believed to be a playhouse that was gifted to Elizabeth from the people of Wales when she was just a little girl. The future queen is said to have grown up frolicking in that cherished spot, and rumor has it that Beatrice's kids did the same.

Reflecting on her relationship to the cottage in the documentary, "The Diamond Queen," Beatrice shared (via Hello!), "Granny and her sister played here growing up and we've been lucky enough to play here with cousins and second cousins and it's a big family treat ... I've been lucky enough to play here and now Granny's a great-granny, so now the great-grandchildren can enjoy it too." Considering that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson have lost access to the Royal Lodge, it seems likely that Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie, have lost access to the playhouse, as well. There have even been whispers that the people of Wales will take the playhouse back for good.