Andrew Lownie has sparked speculation that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie could be hiding their involvement in their parents’ business dealings.
In a recent episode of his podcast, The Lownie Report, the royal biographer revealed that he believes the sisters turned down a recent request for an audit by William, Prince of Wales.
“[Beatrice and Eugenie] were taken on all the trade trips at extra cost to the public purse. They’ve built up a very useful contacts book,” the historian, 65, notes.
“We’ve got plenty of occasions where they’ve been out promoting their father’s businesses abroad, particularly in the Middle East, in the Far East.
“Even recently, Beatrice has been out promoting a Saudi bank,” Lownie points out.
According to Lownie, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 65, and Sarah Ferguson, 66 – who were recently stripped of their royal titles – “Don’t do anything for free”.
“Then we have the court cases, and the famous one is the case of 2022, in which money was being paid,” he says.
“Money which they couldn’t explain what it was for, from a man called Selman Turk, who had been taken to court for basically embezzlement.”
He continues that such dealings make one wonder if, or indeed how many, funds could have been “channelled through their bank accounts”.
“I think they were asked if they would have their material audited by William,” he says.
“And they refused to do so, which doesn’t send out, after all, very encouraging signs.
“It doesn’t seem that they perhaps have been completely open about their business arrangements.”
Andrew and Sarah have both been implicated in convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s illegal activities.
Thus, Lownie says it stands to reason they should be “called to give account” to US law enforcement and lawyers.
As for the refusal of Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, to share their finances, Lownie fears there could be ramifications once William ascends the throne.
“[William and Charles] clearly have different views about how to treat the York family,” he suggests.
“When William comes to the throne, I think there’s a very strong chance that all these titles, apart from his own children, will be got rid of.”
Lownie says non-working royals – especially those with “rich husbands” – shouldn’t expect to continue to be housed when William, 43, is king.
In the meantime, not much can be done if the princesses do not wish to participate.
“It’s just the optics don’t look good,” he explains. “There [are] still many, many questions about the royal finances.
“Until we have the Royal Register … until there’s much more parliamentary scrutiny.
“I think there will be big questions.”
