Prince William embraces Princess Beatrice as royals show unity after Andrew debacle

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, the daughters of Prince Andrew, were also in attendance as King Charles and senior British royals gathered at a village in south-west England on Saturday to celebrate the wedding of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, and nurse Harriet Sperling.

According to observers, by inviting the two sisters the royal family sent a strong message to critics claiming Prince Andrew’s daughters would be abandoned by the Windsors over their father's links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

One picture in particular that showed Prince William embracing Princess Beatrice with a kiss on the cheek, drew interest, with some wondering whether the future king sought to make clear that he does not blame Beatrice and Eugenie for the harm their father brought to the royal family.

Beatrice and Eugenie have kept a low profile since Prince Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019.

As the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived to considerable cheers from local onlookers, William greeted Beatrice with an intimate kiss on the cheek.

Beatrice, who sported a mint green floral dress, held an umbrella aloft alongside her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, as the rain poured down on the Gloucestershire church. 

The embrace is a sign, according to royal author Tom Sykes, that King Charles is "pulling power back".

"This is what Charles wanted to see yesterday," he told the Daily Mail.

"William was making it clear that he is a loyal servant and will ultimately go along with what his father wants, per the military foundational structures of the Royal Family."