Prince William and Kate Middleton are keeping a distance from the York sisters. One expert said the Waleses “would probably not miss them.” The spotlight is on Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, daughters of the ex-Prince Andrew.
As per a new report, the Prince of Wales may decide how close those cousins stay. The piece frames an ex-Prince Andrew daughter’s rift as longstanding. It flags tension dating back to 2011. That distance matters as the monarchy narrows the lineup.
Prince William’ won’t miss’ Ex-Prince Andrew’s daughters, was never close — expert
As per the Daily Mail report dated February 17, 2026, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams weighed in. He said, “It may fall to William to make a decision on the future of Beatrice and Eugenie.”
The expert added that neither of the two sisters is “particularly close to him or to Catherine.” He said, “William, it is reported, may well take a hard line when he becomes king.” Then he added, “It depends on how affected the royal family is by what happens subsequently.”
Fitzwilliams said the King finds their “work-life balance” “admirable.” Both sisters juggle careers and charity work. However, the expert said William and Catherine “do not appear to have close ties.” He also repeated that they “would probably not miss them.”
In that view, any public role for ex-Prince Andrew’s daughters could shrink further. Meanwhile, the report contrasts William’s closeness to cousin Zara Tindall with more distant ties here. It also stresses that the Waleses are not close to the sisters.
Meanwhile, Fitzwilliams said William introduced Beatrice to her former boyfriend, Dave Clark. He said they “dated for a decade.” Yet he claimed William later “fell out with him,” calling him “unreliable.” As a result, he said Clark’s absence from William’s 2011 wedding was “proof.”
The episode is often cited as an early marker of a rift. At the same time, the expert said Eugenie is “notably close to Harry.” Ultimately, he said she once seemed useful for reconciliation. Now, that is “highly unlikely.”
Originally reported by Santanu Das on Reality Tea.
