Princess Beatrice 'distraught’ as Epstein files name her parents, fuel marriage rumors: expert
Princess Beatrice is said to be privately struggling as she attempts to navigate the ongoing scandals surrounding her parents.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, the former Duke and Duchess of York, appeared in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Jan. 30 release of files related to the investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Neither has been charged, and being named does not indicate wrongdoing.
"The reality is Princess Beatrice is under a lot of pressure at the moment," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. "She’s trying to support her father without annoying the royal family, especially her cousin and heir to the throne, Prince William."
"Secondly, it is rumored that her mother wishes to move to Portugal," Turner noted.
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard also told Fox News Digital that Beatrice is "deeply worried and distraught about her wider family life."
"She can’t come to terms with negative revelations, which have certainly taken a toll," Chard claimed.
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Turner and Chard’s statements came shortly after a source close to Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, told People magazine that any rumors about marital woes between them are "complete nonsense."
On March 22, the Mail on Sunday reported that there was a "distance" between the couple amid the ongoing scandals surrounding Beatrice's parents.
"The source close to Beatrice and Edoardo stating any marital difficulties between the couple are 'complete nonsense' is a traditional 'never complain, never explain' royal message to be communicated to the world," said Turner.
"Hopefully Edoardo is supporting Beatrice at this time of great strain as rumors abound," he said. "One fact to consider is who is spreading these rumors and who may want to attack Beatrice right now with gossip and innuendo. One theory is that some powerful person is … sending a warning sign that if she supports her family, more attacks on her marriage could follow."
Beatrice, 37, and Mozzi, 42, married in 2020 and share two children. The Mail on Sunday reported that while Beatrice has been quietly supporting her parents, Mozzi has immersed himself in work as a property developer.
"Things haven’t been great for a while between them, but Beatrice has been determined to soldier on and forge a path through," a source told the outlet.
"Beatrice is quite different from her sister, Princess Eugenie. She really wants to, almost naively, see the good in people and will turn a blind eye to uncomfortable truths — that is why she was blind to her father’s behavior, and the same is true of her belief in Edo."
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"She wants to stay together, but he seems more and more distracted by work and travel," the source said. "Just when she needs him most, he’s been pulling away."
Days after the DOJ’s Epstein file release, Mozzi recapped his work trip to Miami and Palm Beach in an Instagram video.
"He’s really worried his in-laws will affect his business," the source told the outlet, noting that his Banda Property "has been taking off lately, and he’s found some great investors among the wealthy Cotswolds set. But it’s taking up a lot of his time and energy. He’s all about himself at the moment. You have to feel for Beatrice."
"There’s been distance between them with his much-increased work travel lately, which he has been posting out [on social media] heavily in a way he didn’t before," added another source to the outlet.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
"My sources say Beatrice’s relationship with her husband, Edoardo, is frayed," Chard said. "Others have said it is in tatters over the scandals. It is said he is keeping his distance from any further drama … He is worried his business will be negatively affected."
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But not everyone agrees. Royal commentator Meredith Constant pointed out to Fox News Digital that as Andrew lies low, the British media has begun scrutinizing the York sisters.
"Andrew news has gone cold recently," Constant said. "The focus has moved to his daughters. In an attempt to find something to talk about, outlets have moved on to their marriages. Edo has business in other countries. I don’t think his time in Florida would be reported on if outlets weren’t looking for signs that there’s trouble in paradise."
"I also find it hard to believe that Edo is now concerned about how his father-in-law impacts his business," said Constant.
"He married Beatrice in 2020; that was after the disastrous ‘Newsnight’ interview where he claimed he didn’t sweat and therefore couldn't have danced with [Epstein accuser] Virginia [Giuffre], well past his time as U.K. Trade Envoy, which has always been shrouded in scandal."
"The only thing that’s new here is the appearance of accountability and the rumors that William asked his cousins to submit to a financial audit," Constant added.
A source told People that Andrew’s daughters have been prioritizing their families. Both women are mothers of young children.
"They’re like a locked ship right now," a friend told the outlet.
"They are tarnished by this," said royal author Ingrid Seward. "It has affected their lives a great deal."
Beatrice and Mozzi were also spotted together at a birthday party on March 20 in London. The photographs were published by the Daily Mail.
Sources agreed that Mozzi has been prioritizing his future. The eldest son of Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi will one day inherit his family’s ancestral seat, the 18th-century Villa Mapelli Mozzi palazzo in northern Italy, People reported. He launched Banda, a property development and interior design company, in his early 20s.
The royals will also focus on following the late Queen Elizabeth II’s mantra — "keep calm and carry on."
"We’re moving into a busy season for the royal family," said Constant. "King Charles’ big U.S. visit is next month. Then we have events like the Royal Maundy Service at Easter, the RHS Garden Party, Trooping the Colour and more. They would not want the focus on Andrew or his immediate family. They will be doing everything to contain any potentially negative stories."
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich previously claimed to Fox News Digital that the York sisters have been struggling with their disgraceful father’s explosive arrest, which took place on Feb. 19, his 66th birthday. The whereabouts of their mother are also currently unknown. Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for Ferguson, 66, for comment.
"While both daughters were loyal to their parents, they now face the untenable choice of whether salvaging their own futures must prevail, given even their maiden York name is so toxic," said Fordwich.
"They have been understandably distressed by the Epstein file contents regarding both their parents, but will no doubt create even more visible distance from their parents while perhaps still supporting them privately," Fordwich said. "They now have tough decisions to make. All children faced with the despicable behavior of their parents have to make such a choice."