Prince AndrewmissedPrincess Beatriceand fiancéEdoardo Mapelli Mozzi‘sengagement partythis week, but it’s not a sign of strife between the father and daughter.
A source tells PEOPLE that the couple’s wedding plans are underway, and Prince Andrew will likely play a major part in his daughter’s wedding despite the scandal surrounding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein that caused him to “step back” from his royal duties.
“I definitely think he will walk her down the aisle,” a source tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “He plays a very traditional role in her life. She’s his greatest supporter.”
“This is obviously very hard times,” adds the insider.
Their family — including Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and 29-year-old daughterPrincess Eugenie— remains tight-knit.
While Beatrice’s father, Prince Andrew, was absent from the engagement bash, guests included several celebrity pals as well as the bride-to-be’s mother Fergie and sisterPrincess Eugenie.
Prince Andrew drives to Queen’s Christmas lunch.Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
TheDaily Mail— which first reported the story — says Fergie and Beatrice “both cautioned him against doing the program, while his then private secretary Amanda Thirsk was more gung-ho, thinking it would offer him a chance to draw a line under his association” with Epstein.
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In the months following Beatrice’s happy news, her dad has made headlines for his relationship with disgraced financier Epstein. Last month, he announced that he is he is “stepping back from public duties.”
The fallout from his disastrous BBC interview about his friendship with Epstein saw his official royal role collapse to almost nothing in a matter of days. He was removed from his hundreds of charitable patronages and his office was forced out of Buckingham Palace.
Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie.Prince Andrew/Instagram
It remains unclear if Prince Andrew will joinQueen Elizabethand other members of the royal family at their annual walk to church services on Christmas morning, where he and his daughters are regular attendees.
The 59-year-old royal will likely retain his title as the Duke of York and keep his place in the line of succession to the throne, which is currently eighth behindPrince HarryandMeghan Markle‘s 7-month-old son, Archie. Many family members in the line of succession are not “working” royals, such as Princess Anne’s children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
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source: people.com
