Prince William is playing a larger role in shaping the decisions made behind palace doors following Andrew’s arrest.
Formerly known as the Duke of York, the disgraced royal was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office relating to his former position as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy.
Royal commentator Andrew Lownie believes the situation has changed the balance of influence within the family.
Speaking on The Lownie Report In the podcast, he suggested that the Prince of Wales was increasingly steering the direction of the monarchy during the crisis.
According to Lownie, the fallout also led to a visible effort to keep his distance from Andrew and those close to him.
This distance, he claimed, could extend to his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The sisters, both regular faces at Royal Ascot, are not expected to attend the iconic racing event this year.
Some observers see the move as a sign that the palace wants to keep attention away from the New York branch of the family as tensions remain high.
A former BBC royal correspondent suggested the couple might consider giving up the use of their princess titles altogether, arguing that York’s name had taken a reputational hit in recent years.
Although neither Beatrice nor Eugenie have publicly addressed this suggestion, both have built their professional lives outside of their full-time royal duties.
Despite the controversy surrounding their father, the sisters still maintain links with the royal residences.
Beatrice would live at St James’s Palace, while Eugenie would live at Ivy Cottage.
