Prince Andrew still planning to walk daughter Princess Beatrice down the aisle despite Jeffrey Epstein scandal
Prince Andrew will be there to walk Princess Beatrice down the aisle, a source tells ET.
The son of Queen Elizabeth II has recently been at the center of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which led him to step down from public life and his royal duties.
A source tells ET that the royal family is publicly putting on a “brave face” with regard to the Epstein controversy and Prince Andrew's alleged affiliation with him.
“They love him; he’s family,” the source explains, adding that privately they are “very disappointed” in his behavior. Despite the scandal, the source says the 59-year-old Duke of York is still planning to escort Beatrice to the altar, and is “utterly devoted” to her and his other daughter, Princess Eugenie.
The source notes that details of the upcoming wedding remain up in the air because the family wants to insulate Beatrice from as much of the Andrew fallout as possible. It's expected that further details will be disclosed about the nuptials after the first of the year and that several wedding venues have been explored. Everyone just wants Beatrice to "have the wedding she deserves,” the source says.
As for Princess Eugenie, the source says Beatrice's sister has been by her side offering support. As royal fans may recall, Andrew walked Eugenie down the aisle in October 2018 when she married Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle.
Beatrice got engaged to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi earlier this year, and while there have been multiple reports that she plans to wed in 2020, another source previously told ET that she has yet to set a wedding date.
"Everyone right now is concerned about Bea," the source said at the time. "Poor Bea. She deserves to have the wedding she wants and the public is going to go nuts [because of her father]."
According to multiple reports, Beatrice previously canceled her engagement party following the fallout from Andrew's televised interview on the Epstein scandal and his subsequent announcement that he was stepping down from public duties.
Amid the fallout, Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, spoke out in defense of him to Vogue Arabia.
"When I talk about Prince Andrew, I talk about family because the last six months have been hard on the girls and me. To see such a wonderful man go through such enormous pain," she said, alluding to the drama. "He is the best man I know. It’s just incredible what he has done for Britain, and it’s all nonsense."
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