LONDON — For years, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie managed to avoid the full force of the scandals that engulfed their parents. While Prince Andrew’s reputation collapsed under the weight of controversy and Sarah Ferguson continued to attract criticism for her business ventures and celebrity lifestyle, their daughters often emerged as the more sympathetic faces of the York family.

But a growing chorus of royal insiders and commentators now believes that protection may be running out.

At the center of the latest controversy is veteran journalist and former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, a longtime royal observer and friend of the late Princess Diana. Brown has launched one of the most blistering attacks yet on the York branch of the Royal Family, arguing that Beatrice and Eugenie should have no place in the streamlined monarchy Prince William is expected to build when he eventually becomes king.

Her criticism was not directed solely at Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. Instead, Brown suggested that the princesses themselves have become inseparable from a family culture that many believe has damaged the monarchy’s credibility for decades.

According to Brown, the House of York has come to symbolize what she described as “a rot at the heart” of the royal system — a structure where royal status creates opportunities and privileges that ordinary people could never access. While Beatrice and Eugenie have carefully cultivated modern professional images, critics argue that their royal titles continue to open doors around the world, particularly in wealthy business circles across the Middle East.

Brown specifically took aim at the sisters’ growing presence in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, where they have appeared at a variety of conferences, networking events and high-profile gatherings. She dismissed many of these events as little more than elite influence marketplaces filled with powerful investors, celebrity entrepreneurs and well-connected social figures seeking access to royal prestige.

The timing of Brown’s remarks could hardly be more damaging.

A newly released report has revealed details about long-standing financial arrangements that benefited both princesses for years. Despite not serving as working royals, Beatrice and Eugenie reportedly enjoyed accommodation within some of Britain’s most prestigious royal properties while paying no personal rent. The residences, located within royal estates including Kensington Palace and St James’s Palace, were effectively subsidized first by Queen Elizabeth II and later by King Charles.

The revelations have reignited an uncomfortable debate about privilege, accountability and whether members of the extended Royal Family should continue receiving benefits funded through royal resources despite having independent careers, wealthy spouses and substantial private assets of their own.

Critics argue that the arrangement undermines years of messaging from Buckingham Palace about modernization and financial responsibility. Supporters, however, insist that such arrangements have long existed within the wider royal network and should not be viewed as extraordinary.

Yet perhaps the most explosive allegation concerns something the public has never seen.

Brown referenced claims that Prince William had allegedly sought greater oversight of business activities connected to members of the wider Royal Family. According to reports previously discussed by royal author Andrew Lownie, Beatrice and Eugenie were among those who allegedly resisted efforts to subject their business interests and external relationships to deeper review.

No official confirmation of such a request has ever been released by Kensington Palace. Nevertheless, the allegation has fueled speculation that William has become increasingly concerned about reputational risks lurking beyond the circle of senior working royals.

If true, it could offer a revealing glimpse into the future king’s thinking.

For years, William has been associated with plans for a smaller, leaner monarchy focused on a tightly controlled group of senior royals. Such a model would leave little room for extended family members whose activities cannot be easily monitored or managed by palace advisers.

The York family has become a particularly sensitive issue because nearly every discussion eventually circles back to Prince Andrew. Even now, years after his public downfall and departure from royal duties, fresh questions continue to emerge regarding his financial arrangements, property holdings and lingering connections to one of the darkest scandals ever to touch the modern monarchy.

The same report that exposed the princesses’ housing arrangements also revealed details surrounding Royal Lodge, Andrew’s sprawling Windsor residence. Among the findings were claims that properties on the estate could generate income and that compensation issues connected to Andrew’s eventual departure from the residence remain unresolved.

To royal critics, the disclosures paint a picture of a family branch still benefiting from privileges long after losing public trust.

Yet behind the headlines lies a more intriguing question.

Several palace watchers believe the debate is no longer really about Beatrice or Eugenie themselves. Instead, it may be about whether Prince William has already decided what role — if any — the York family will play once he ascends the throne.

And this is where an unsettling mystery begins to emerge.

Multiple royal commentators have noted that while the sisters continue to appear at selected family gatherings, they remain conspicuously absent from conversations about the monarchy’s future. They are neither fully embraced nor openly excluded. They exist in a strange middle ground — visible enough to remain royal, distant enough to avoid becoming central figures.

One former palace source recently suggested that discussions surrounding the future structure of the monarchy have been taking place for far longer than the public realizes. If that is true, the most important decision concerning Beatrice and Eugenie may not lie ahead at all.

It may have been made quietly behind closed doors months ago.

The only question now is when the rest of the world will find out.