Sarah Ferguson and her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are back under the spotlight after fresh claims about a deeply emotional family reunion in Austria.
According to reports, Sarah Ferguson, 66, left the UK four months ago amid the furore around her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Heat reported in April that she had been staying at a luxury ski resort in the Austrian mountains. It also said she has not been publicly spotted since.
The publication claims that Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, attended a wedding in Vienna last weekend. They allegedly then made the three-hour trip to Salzburg for an “incredibly emotional” reunion with their mother.
That meeting is said to have come at a very tense time for the family. Heat claims that Sarah has become “desperate” after being evicted from Royal Lodge in October and spending heavily on luxury accommodation.
Sarah Ferguson and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie face a brutal family choice
An insider told the publication: “Beatrice and Eugenie are in an absolutely terrible position because at the end of the day and for all her faults and flaws, Sarah is still their mother and they love her and worry about her. When they saw her in Austria it was incredibly emotional. Sarah didn’t even try to hide how desperate the situation has become. The money’s running out, the credit cards are at the limit, and so far Andrew has had no luck securing any sort of extra help from Charles for her. It’s no wonder Sarah’s convinced the girls are the only ones she can turn to. She’s putting a lot of pressure on them to rescue her from this nightmare.”
That leaves the York sisters in a painful spot. They may want to help their mother, but they also know the scrutiny around the family has intensified.
The reunion that could change everything for the York sisters
The report says Beatrice and Eugenie fear getting pulled deeper into the scandal around their parents. Their position inside the wider royal family already looks delicate.
The source said: “The problem is that Beatrice and Eugenie are at a loss as to what they can realistically do. Their husbands are extremely uncomfortable about becoming more involved in Sarah and Andrew’s problems and certainly aren’t keen on the idea of opening up their homes. What makes it even harder is that the girls are painfully aware of how delicate their position already is within the royal family. They don’t want to alienate themselves from the family and risk getting the boot themselves. But they also can’t bear the idea of abandoning their mother when she needs them most. It’s a lose-lose situation.”
Could a memoir leave Beatrice and Eugenie paying the price?
Another claim has raised the stakes even more. Sarah has reportedly approached publishers about a possible royal tell-all worth around £2 million.
The outlet says that prospect has sparked fears of serious fallout for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. If Sarah moves ahead, the damage could hit their standing too.
One insider told the publication: “If she does write her memoir and throws the Royal Family under the bus, the way she’s been threatening, it will have a huge blowback effect on Beatrice and Eugenie and their standing within the family.”
Representatives for Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie have been contacted for comment.
What do you think? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsider.