'Harry could offer Beatrice and Eugenie tea and sympathy, bonding over being ostracised from the royal family'

OPINION – – If there is one royal who knows what it feels like to be on the outside of The Firm, it's Prince Harry.

The Duke of Sussex has reportedly offered his two cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, refuge after they were told to stay away from royal family-related events due to the arrest of their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

But how would the York sisters spend their time, hidden away in Montecito with Harry and the Duchess of Sussex? The very thought of it conjures up potential material for a third season of With Love, Meghan.

The inclusion of Beatrice and Eugenie in Meghan's show would be far more interesting than the previous two seasons, which received poor reviews around the world.

Prince Harry and Meghan and Beatrice and Eugenie could be the new 'Fab Four', helping make flower sprinkles and jam to sell via the duchess' As ever brand, hosting events for the enclave's celebrity circle and attending the polo.

Harry is said to have issued an "open invite" to his cousins to stay, using the Montecito mansion as a type of safe house.

The duke is alleged to have told the princesses that he "knows what it's like to be at the wrong end of the institution".

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He was particularly concerned for Princess Beatrice, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The publication was first to report that the sisters have been banned from attending Royal Ascot this year due to the ongoing scandal surrounding their parents' past association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Beatrice and Eugenie were told they could not join the royal family at the annual race event in June or appear in the Royal Box or the carriage procession.

The sisters have been regulars at Royal Ascot for many years.

And they are not expected to attend any high profile events with the royal family for the foreseeable future.

The Prince and Princess of Wales apparently want to keep the York sisters "at arm's length".

Prince William is alleged to have told them it was "nothing personal".

It is understood all parties were said to be mindful of Beatrice and Eugenie's public appearances and how they might affect the public perception of the royal family.

In December, however, they joined the King and the rest of the royal family for Christmas at Sandringham.

The sisters have not been seen with their parents for weeks. Andrew was arrested on February 19, his 66th birthday, and released under investigation. It is unclear if he will face charges.

Their mother, Sarah Ferguson, was reported to have been staying at a health clinic in Switzerland before staying in the United Arab Emirates.

While there is no suggestion Princess Beatrice or Princess Eugenie have done anything wrong, they are mentioned repeatedly in the Epstein files.

In one email exchange, they travelled with Ferguson to stay with Epstein in Florida shortly after his release from prison in 2009.

Both Beatrice and Eugenie are involved with various charities and organisations, all of which have stood by the sisters in the wake of the recent scandal.

But the suitability of Eugenie's work with The Anti-Slavery Collective, a charity she co-founded that focuses on helping victims of sex trafficking and exploitation, has also been questioned.

With Prince William seemingly keen to keep his distance from his embattled cousins, the job has reportedly fallen to Prince Harry to offer Beatrice and Eugenie sanctuary.

Harry has long been close with the York girls, having grown up together in the UK.

The duke kept close to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their husbands, during King Charles' coronation in 2023 when Harry returned briefly to the UK for the historic event.

Since Harry and Meghan's move to the US in 2020, Princess Eugenie has travelled to California to spend time with the Sussexes.

In 2022, Eugenie and Harry were seen at the Super Bowl in LA and Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank were believed to be the first royals to meet Harry and Meghan's daughter, Lilibet.

Meghan revealed in 2021 that "Eugenie and I had known each other before" she met Prince Harry.

And a few years later, the duchess spoke about spending time with Eugenie and Brooksbank in Canada when she was working as an actress.

The two couples attended a Halloween party in Toronto, in disguise, so other partygoers wouldn't recognise them.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are not working royals but for many years have attended royal-related family events.

That now appears to have ended, or at least until the Epstein scandal blows over.

The York sisters may now have brighter prospects in the US with Prince Harry and Meghan who could, no doubt, offer them tea and sympathy and strengthen their bond by sharing stories about being ostracised from the royal family.

Harry might even encourage them to capitalise on their family's woes by writing a joint tell-all book, in a similar style to his own Spare.

Between the York sister and their mother, there is definitely a book – or two – just waiting to be written.

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