The Epstein files have brought shame to quite a lot of big personalities. The parents of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, were the recent names added to that list. Windsor was even stripped of his royal titles. Prince William has offered his sympathies to his cousins amid the controversy. 

According to Radar Online, on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, Prince William welcomed Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, along with other members of the Royal Family to Buckingham Palace for an early Christmas lunch. Around 70 members of the family attended the event, including Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince George, and Kate Middleton.

This was the first time Beatrice and Eugenie attended a major family function since the names of their parents were revealed in the Epstein files. However, the gathering was designed to be warm and welcoming for the young sisters. 

A source close to the Royals said that, despite not being at fault, the young Princesses have faced intense public scrutiny. “Beatrice and Eugenie have faced intense public scrutiny due to their parents’ actions. William knows what it’s like to have your family constantly in the media spotlight. He feels a lot of sympathy for them and has been quietly providing support and advice behind the scenes.”

“Regardless of opinions about their parents, Beatrice and Eugenie haven’t been accused of any wrongdoing. They’ve had to witness their parents being humiliated and criticized publicly for years, yet they’ve stayed close to the rest of the royal family.” 

The insider added that the late Queen Elizabeth was very fond of Beatrice and Eugenie. “Their grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, was very affectionate toward them, and King Charles III and Prince William also appear keen to protect them. The Palace lunch would have been very welcoming, and it was heartening to see them looking so bright and happy.”

The source further said that the Palace was trying to protect the Princesses from the media coverage about their parents. Prince William also believes that their parents’ actions should not define Beatrice and Eugenie. “The Palace is making an effort to protect Beatrice and Eugenie from the relentless media coverage of their parents. William believes they shouldn’t be defined by Andrew and Sarah’s errors, and he wants them to enjoy their family life without extra pressure or scrutiny.”

Another source stated that the chances of Andrew Windsor and Sarah Ferguson being the topic of discussion during the Christmas lunch were highly unlikely. “I would expect that any conversation about Andrew and Sarah would be the ‘elephant in the room.’ It would simply be far too awkward for everyone involved.”

The source also added that Prince William’s sympathy towards his young cousins comes from his own childhood experiences. He was always in the center of media attention growing up due to his parents, but for different reasons. 

“He had to face constant media attention about his parents while growing up. The headlines were for very different reasons, the breakdown of his parents’ marriage, but it was still traumatic for him as a young boy. You have to sympathize with these young women in a similar situation,” the source said. 

The lunch offered the family to come together and spend some quality time together in a formal setting before the main Christmas celebrations kick off at Sandringham.