Sarah Ferguson is reportedly furious over the treatment of her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and blames Prince William for the negative publicity, according to a source speaking to Closer magazine. The former Duchess of York is said to be 'raging' that the two princesses have been criticized for living rent-free in royal properties paid for by King Charles.
Rent-free royal homes spark controversy
It emerged weeks ago that Princess Eugenie lives in a cottage on the Kensington Palace estate at no cost, and Princess Beatrice occupies a royal London apartment without paying rent. As non-working royals, their housing arrangements have drawn public criticism, with some questioning why they should benefit from taxpayer-funded residences while not undertaking official duties.
King Charles has not commented on the matter, but reports suggest Prince William may want his cousins to start paying their own way. This has infuriated Sarah Ferguson, who believes William is behind the push to portray Beatrice and Eugenie as a burden on the monarchy.
Source: Sarah blames William for 'poisoning' the King
An insider told Closer magazine: 'Sarah is raging about the way this has all unfolded and she blames William for poisoning the King against her girls. She says there’s been a very deliberate effort to turn the tide against Eugenie and Beatrice and she believes William has been the driving force.'
The source added: 'The fact that they’re being unfairly singled out and painted as some sort of burden on the monarchy when they've always bent over backwards to serve The Crown and the family infuriates her. As far as she's concerned, they've become convenient scapegoats in William’s obsession with slimming down the monarchy.'
William's warm gesture at royal wedding
Despite the reported tensions, Prince William showed no signs of bitterness towards his cousins at a recent royal wedding. He greeted Beatrice and Eugenie warmly with a kiss on the cheek, indicating that the prince has always been close to them and would not want them to be treated unfairly.
The controversy highlights ongoing debates about the role and funding of non-working royals within the British monarchy.
