Images of the royal cousins over the years paint a picture of camaraderie, whether they’re dressed in ski gear on snowy slopes or enjoying the grassy expanse of a polo field. These snapshots often capture them sharing laughter on the Buckingham Palace balcony, showcasing the close-knit relationships among Queen Elizabeth’s eldest grandchildren: William, Harry, Beatrice, Eugenie, Peter, and Zara.

These bonds, once seemingly unbreakable, have recently been tested to their limits. Many within royal circles fear that some of these once-strong ties may now be beyond repair.

The catalyst for this strain is the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal, coupled with the distressing revelations that continue to shadow the former Duke of York.

While much attention has been given to the disgraced Andrew, and his former wife Sarah Ferguson, the focus has recently shifted to their daughters, Princess Beatrice, now 37, and Princess Eugenie, aged 35.

Their names have surfaced multiple times in the notorious Epstein files, leading to probing questions about their awareness of their parents’ connections with Epstein. Additionally, there’s growing curiosity about how they financed their famously opulent lifestyles during their younger years.

Not only do the princesses’ names appear several times in the infamous files, but questions are being asked over just how much they knew about their parents’ dealings with Epstein and, separately, how they funded their notoriously lavish younger years.

This month, reports emerged of a gulf between William, 43, and Catherine, 44, and the York girls. Harry and Meghan, too, once so close to the princesses – Eugenie especially – have yet to reach out, a source has told the Daily Mail. In private, however, we can reveal things are far worse than they appear.

A source close to the family says William, mindful of being heir to the throne, is currently taking a ‘hard line’ towards Beatrice and Eugenie.

‘William has shifted his position quite a lot in recent weeks and really now thinks that the girls should be kept at arm’s length,’ the royal insider told the Daily Mail this week.

‘He is particularly annoyed that they are frequently involved in projects in the Middle East, which could impact on relations with the UK royals.

‘William, just back from a visit to Saudi Arabia – largely knocked out of the headlines by Andrew – is beginning a long-term project to promote relations between London and Riyadh.

‘Beatrice and Eugenie going off piste with their own projects could muddy the waters.’

He is particularly concerned, the source says, by their apparent lack of ‘discretion’ and fears this could ‘backfire on the monarchy’.

‘For example, Beatrice’s decision to host a tea party for the wealthy in Saudi Arabia last November [the event was for women business leaders] just after her father became a commoner, angered William, who thought it epitomised the total lack of self-awareness which they have inherited from both parents.

‘He is acutely concerned that the sympathy they are receiving in some quarters could quickly evaporate if tales of their hedonistic youth resurface.’

Nor did he take it well when, as the Daily Mail reported in November, they turned down his suggestion to allow an ‘ethics’ check to be carried out on their personal investments.

This, William believed, would have shown a willingness to toe the line, protecting them from any alleged impropriety concerning Andrew’s – and indeed Sarah’s – financial dealings with Epstein.

‘The Palace is acutely aware that Andrew and his business friends acted as Beatrice and Eugenie’s financial advisers, and no one is quite sure what might not be entirely above board,’ the source adds.

There is also the future of the monarchy to think of and, as heir to the throne, this is foremost in William’s mind.

‘William will undoubtedly be planning the future as best he can and it is highly unlikely to include Beatrice and Eugenie in any official capacity,’ says royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams.

Meanwhile, in private, Kate’s influence has shaped the cooling of her husband’s relationships with Beatrice and Eugenie.

She has never been close to the pair, the royal insider insists, after they – along with Andrew – made her arrival into the Royal Family ‘very uncomfortable’. ‘They were convinced by their father that William was marrying below his status and that his relationship with Kate would fizzle out.’

The insider added: ‘Both William and Kate find it hard to believe that neither Andrew nor Sarah saw anything untoward in Epstein’s world and nor did Beatrice and Eugenie, aged around 19 and 20 when their mother took them to visit the paedophile in New York in 2009, just after he was released from prison.

‘Once it became clear that Andrew’s dealings with Epstein were far murkier than a solitary accusation made by Virginia Giuffre, Kate has kept a distance from the entire York family.

‘Notably, there were no presents under the Sandringham tree [this year] for Beatrice and Eugenie from William and Kate – something everyone pretended not to notice.’

Neither of the girls were asked to be godparents for the Wales children; nor were Kate or William asked to be godparents for Beatrice and Eugenie’s offspring.

Much of this, of course, may be chalked up to the reality of having young families and busy lives.

Beatrice has two daughters, Sienna, four, and Athena, one, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, as well as being stepmother to his nine-year-old son, Wolfie.

Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have two sons, August, five, and Ernest, two.

Beatrice splits her time between her Cotswolds property and an apartment in St James’ Palace, while Eugenie lives between Portugal and Ivy Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace.

The Waleses, meanwhile, are mainly with their brood on the Windsor estate or Anmer Hall in Norfolk, rather than Apartment 1A, their official London residence.

But even when their time in the capital overlaps, the cousins rarely make time to see one another – especially of late.

‘The girls have tried to build some bridges with William, although he hasn’t been as willing to reciprocate as they hoped,’ the family source explains. ‘They haven’t seen each other very much at all over the past year – only at the two family Christmas lunches in December, which were both strained affairs.

‘William and Kate were apparently polite but stand-offish on both occasions.

‘Everyone is perfectly civil and avoids mentioning the Andrew-shaped elephant in the room when the girls are around.

‘One of Kate’s public appearances allowed an opportunity to make contact and share support about her recovery.

‘But this was Beatrice rather than Eugenie. Eugenie really wants to keep out of the limelight and keep a low profile – spending a lot of time in Portugal and elsewhere overseas gives her the perfect opportunity.’

Indeed, the princess was last spotted at an art fair in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month in her role as a director at art dealer Hauser & Wirth.

Beatrice, meanwhile, is very much present in the UK and had been, prior to his arrest at least, spending time with her father in private. In January, she and eldest daughter Sienna were seen at Royal Lodge, Andrew’s Windsor home (before he was unceremoniously banished to the Sandringham estate earlier this month).

Beatrice has also been leaning on another cousin, Zara, who – despite reports last week to the contrary – has been a much-needed shoulder to cry on as events turned from bad to worse.

Zara, 44, and her former England rugby player husband Mike Tindall, 47, live at Aston Farm, on her mother Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, just down the road from Beatrice.

She, a family friend reveals, continues to welcome both sisters at Gatcombe, principally so their young children can remain close to the family and do not feel ostracised by events beyond their control. ‘Both Beatrice and Eugenie are still welcomed at Gatcombe,’ the friend says.

‘She has hosted family get-togethers there. Beatrice and Eugenie’s children being kept close to the rest of the family has been Zara’s mission.’

In recent months, the source adds, Beatrice has returned the favour at her Cotswolds home.

Zara and Mike’s children – Mia, 12, Lena, seven, and four -year-old Lucas – are said to get on well with Beatrice and Eugenie’s. The gatherings – which, much like Zara’s, are informal and relaxed – also give Beatrice and Eugenie a chance to stay in contact with their aunt Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, as well as cousin Peter Phillips, 48, and his children, Savannah, 15, and Isla, 13.

Peter, who divorced his wife Autumn in 2021, also lives at Gatcombe and is also believed to remain close to the York sisters.

From time to time, the source close to the family says, the King has joined low-key reunions – although in the past year, this has happened just once.

Queen Camilla tends not to join him. She has, the insider says, urged Charles to ‘keep his distance’ from Beatrice and Eugenie, concerned about reputational damage by association.

Behind Palace doors, by contrast, the King is ‘fiercely loyal and protective of the girls’ and has ‘offered them as much support as possible’.

He is said to approve of the way they balance family life and royal duties with their charitable work and it is thanks to him that they have retained their HRH titles.

But what of their cousin some 5,500 miles away in Montecito, California – Harry, 41, and 44-year-old wife Meghan, who knew Eugenie before she met her husband.

They were certainly close at one time. Eugenie moved into Frogmore Cottage, the Sussexes’ ten-bedroom home on the Windsor Estate, after they vacated it in 2020 and there were reports that they planned to buy a house in Portugal near to hers to have as a European base.

The pair are said to have visited Eugenie and Jack during a three-night mini-break to the coastal town of Melides, Portugal, after the 2023 Invictus Games.

Meanwhile, footage in the 2022 Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan showed Eugenie visiting her cousin in California, going on bike rides and playing with his son, Archie, on a beach. However, sources say her – and her sister’s – closeness to Harry has ‘fallen apart’ in recent years, in part because of his fractured relations with his father and brother.

‘The girls, along with Zara, tried hard to keep open channels of communication with a view to building a path to peace with the rest of the family, but all gave up the project,’ a family friend says.

‘Beatrice and Eugenie got on well with Meghan and had been part of a charm offensive organised by Sarah Ferguson to welcome her into the Royal Family.

‘But they were tainted by their father. Meghan… was “repulsed” by him and couldn’t understand why he was still allowed to carry out royal duties. She became increasingly wary of Beatrice who was too close and ready to sing the praises of her father.’

As a result, Harry has had little contact with the sisters in recent years. However, when their father was stripped of his royal title last October, a family insider says Harry contacted them by email from Montecito.

‘How the girls responded isn’t known,’ the source says. ‘But it all came to nothing because of the continuing revelations. Meghan in particular will want to keep her own brand clear of any link.’

As for what the next troubling few months hold, sources say there is only one way for Beatrice and Eugenie to proceed.

‘It would seem only fitting if they kept an extremely low profile, avoiding royal events,’ advises Richard Fitzwilliams.

This means skipping the traditional Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and bowing out of any upcoming appearances during the summer.

‘In private, of course, the sisters will need support as the pressures are so intense,’ adds Mr Fitzwilliams. ‘But a low profile and humility is the only foreseeable public course for them. They ought to bear in mind that silence, sometimes, really is best.’