Princess Eugenie's decision to cut off contact with her father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has been described as an act of 'self-preservation' by a royal expert. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Afua Hagan argued that the move is motivated by Eugenie's desire to protect her own career, family, and public image, rather than purely moral concerns.
Hagan stated: 'This is definitely about self-preservation on her part. For herself, for her young family, for her husband, for her interests, for the charities she's associated with. I think she doesn't want guilt by association.' She also noted that Andrew's refusal to apologise to victims of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal likely influenced Eugenie's stance.
The rift was first reported by the Mail on Sunday, which cited a source saying there was 'no contact' and that Eugenie had 'completely cut him off'. In contrast, her sister Beatrice is reportedly trying to maintain a relationship with their father while staying close to the royal family.
The estrangement follows the release of Epstein files containing uncomfortable images of Andrew, including one where he is lying on the laps of women. Andrew has denied all wrongdoing, but royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams warned that the 'fear of the unknown' surrounding the documents could cause further damage.
