Prince William Has 'Sympathy' for Princess Eugenie and Beatrice Amid Shamed Dad Andrew Windsor-Mountbatten's Controversies

Prince William has a soft spot for his cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie amid their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's recent controversies.

The former prince, 65, has been embroiled in various scandals due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

William, 43, has a "particular sympathy" for the York princesses, according to royal expert Jennie Bond.

She told The Mirror that the Prince of Wales' empathy stems from him having to "endure endless publicity about his parents as he was growing up."

"Of course the headlines then were for very different reasons: the disintegration of his parents’ marriage. But it was still traumatic for a young boy. You have to feel for these young women," Bond explained.

Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, "have not been accused of doing anything wrong," the BBC correspondent added.

"They had to watch their parents being humiliated and publicly criticized over many years, and yet they have remained close to the rest of the royal family," she said.

Both Andrew and their mother, Sarah Ferguson, have been entangled in scandal regarding Epstein, with them most recently being seen in the latest drop of files from the dead pedophile's estate. The ex-Duke and Duchess of York were spotted in several photos at Epstein's infamous island hanging out with young girls and other public figures.

While their parents have kept their distance from the rest of The Firm, Beatrice and Eugenie are still welcomed into the royal fold. The two recently attended the family's early Christmas brunch at Buckingham Palace.

Bond also noted how King Charles will still defend his nieces no matter what becomes of their shamed parents. "The late Queen, showed them great affection and the King also seems keen to protect them. So I think everyone would have been very welcoming at the Palace lunch. I was pleased to see them looking so bright and happy," she said.

“I imagine the ‘elephant’ in the room would be any discussion about Andrew and Sarah,” Bond explained. “That would just be too awkward for all involved.”

The girls are also feeling immense pressure over whether to attend the royal family's annual Christmas festivities at Sandringham on December 25 or spend it with their exiled parents.

Beatrice prefers to stay at her new Cotswolds home with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, their children and her mom, 66. As for Eugenie, she is hoping to stay at her abode in Portugal with husband Jack Brooksbank and their kids.

The royal family recently reunited with Andrew and Ferguson at Beatrice's daughter Athena's christening on December 12 at Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in London.