Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie Escape Andrew Drama on Girls' Getaway

Amid the turmoil surrounding their parents Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson—and just ahead of their January 25 move out deadline as they prepare for life after living at Royal Lodge—Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie snuck away for a carefree girls’ weekend. The sisters smiled as they posed for photos with a group of girlfriends at a countryside retreat, Hello! reported. In a photo taken from the trip, Beatrice wore a bomber jacket with khaki pants and Wellington boots, while Eugenie donned a Canada Goose coat with light blue jeans and black boots, the outlet reported. One of the other women on the trip, Fifi Howden, wrote on her Instagram Story, “What a fun weekend away with this fabulous group of women.” The getaway comes just one week ahead of Andrew and Sarah’s deadline to vacate Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion where Andrew has lived since 2003 and where Sarah has lived since 2008. While Andrew is reportedly headed for a smaller property on the Sandringham estate, Sarah is not expected to join him there. “She has stood by him all these years but is now ready to spread her wings,” a source told Hello!, adding that the former Duchess of York “is still very upset at everything that has happened.” In addition to being forced out of Royal Lodge, in October the former couple surrendered their Duke and Duchess of York titles, and weeks later King Charles stripped Andrew of all of his royal titles and privileges. Beatrice and Eugenie were allowed to retain their princess titles and Her Royal Highness stylings. While Hello! reported that both of the sisters are still in touch with their parents, The Telegraph reported that Eugenie “is said to be distancing herself from her parents over the fallout from their association with Jeffrey Epstein.” The outlet added that Eugenie “is said to be taking a tougher stance than her older sister Beatrice, who has been more involved with her parents’ move.” Both sisters opted to spend Christmas at Sandringham with the royal family rather than at Royal Lodge with their parents. “It’s a difficult time for them,” longtime royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Telegraph. “It’s deeply distressing, and they must feel it desperately.” Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to the sisters’ grandmother Queen Elizabeth, told People that the fallout surrounding the former Prince Andrew will have a “devastating effect” on both Beatrice and Eugenie. “Even though they keep their titles, the ripple effect will have consequences for the rest of their lives,” she said.