Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie 'banished' from seeing royal cousins for the cruelest reason

Reportedly the cruel reason that saw Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie 'banished' from seeing Princes William and Harry wasn't their fault

HRH Princess Eugenie of York (L) and HRH Princess Beatrice of York at the Animal Ball Art Show Private Viewing, presented by Elephant Family on May 22, 2019 in London, England.
(Image credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Animal Ball)

It was Princess Diana's call that saw Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie 'banished' from seeing her sons Prince William and Prince Harry - owing to the royal fall-out with their mother Sarah Ferguson.


Sarah, Duchess of York and Diana, Princess of Wales at the Epsom Derby, 3rd June 1987.

(Image credit: Georges De Keerle/Getty Images)

Previously, Sarah Ferguson said she was the 'most persecuted woman' in the Royal Family and if reports like this are anything to go by - you can see where she's coming from. 

Tina Brown described, in her 2022 book The Palace Papers, the sad reasoning that saw Fergie's girls 'banished' from hanging out with their beloved cousins. Seemingly, according to the author, it all stemmed from falling out with Fergie, despite the York sisters being the Princes' 'favorite' cousins.

Their banishment came after the People's Princess is alleged to have 'fatwa'd' her then sister-in-law, "for revealing she had developed verrucae after borrowing Diana’s shoes.”

This was only one example, claims the writer, of Diana's, “pattern of cutting out people," in the boys' lives. Not just any people, but people that they cared about - like the York sisters. Tina says this is a pattern that, sadly, continued, "throughout their childhood."

KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 03: Prince William And Prince Harry With Princess Beatrice And Princess Eugenie In Klosters, Switzerland

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images))

The royal biographer states in her book that despite Princess Diana clearly being devoted to her sons, “there was a destructive side to Diana’s mothering.” Controlling and strange, Tina claimed the late royal's destructive behaviors all came down to her 'rampant' insecurity which meant she, “always needed to be first in her boys’ hearts."

In the years since, the royal cousins have had an emotional rollercoaster, as The Firm has experienced many losses and scandals. Recently, it's been reported that Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice’s relationship with Prince William is ‘struggling’ after the royal ‘disgrace’ following allegations against Prince Andrew.

Aoife Hanna
Junior News Editor

Aoife is an Irish journalist and writer with a background in creative writing, comedy, and TV production.

Formerly woman&home's junior news editor and a contributing writer at Bustle, her words can be found in the Metro, Huffpost, Delicious, Imperica and EVOKE.

Her poetry features in the Queer Life, Queer Love anthology.

Outside of work you might bump into her at a garden center, charity shop, yoga studio, lifting heavy weights, or (most likely) supping/eating some sort of delicious drink/meal.