Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who grew up in royal palaces, shared that their childhood was not without typical sibling disagreements, reminiscent of many other families. Despite their royal upbringing, their mother always made sure that the conflicts were resolved instead of being left unresolved.
In a rare joint interview on the podcast Lessons From Our Mothers, hosted by actress Cressida Bonas and her sister Isabella, the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York discussed their strong sisterly bond.
One particular anecdote that resonated with them was a dispute over a pair of pink Converse sneakers that spiraled into a major argument, as recounted by Beatrice.
‘It was a big one,’ the 36-year-old admitted. ‘And Mum just jumped into that fight and was like, “Come on, you can do it!”.’
What followed, Beatrice explained, was a maternal push towards reconciliation – one that became emblematic of the lessons their mother, Sarah Ferguson, worked so hard to impart, Hello reported.
‘The forced collaboration – you’re slightly annoyed about because she’s pushing on a bit of a nerve – but that joy of the making up at the end was a big part of what she instilled in us,’ she said.
‘There was this sense that it’s okay to feel, it’s okay to push on those emotions, but you have to figure out what the resolution looks like as well. She was very resolution-driven.’
Now both mothers themselves, Beatrice and Eugenie, spoke with warmth about the nurturing influence of the Duchess of York, whose parenting style they credit with shaping their emotional resilience.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie (pictured with their mother, the Duchess of York) shared the biggest of their childhood fights while appearing on a podcast recently
Speaking on Cressida Bonas’s podcast, the royal siblings credited their mother Sarah Ferguson for instilling in them emotional resilience
For Eugenie, 35, that maternal devotion was perhaps most keenly felt during one of the most difficult periods of her life: undergoing surgery for scoliosis as a young girl.
‘I had scoliosis when I was younger,’ she said. ‘I have scoliosis – it doesn’t go away – and I had a big operation when I was 12.’
Recalling the hospital experience, Eugenie shared that her mother was by her side throughout, never leaving her alone during what was undoubtedly a vulnerable time.
‘My mum basically moved into the hospital with me and was there every waking hour. If I was ever in pain, she was right by my bedside,’ she said.
The mother-of-two went on to describe the insecurity she felt after the surgery, which left her with a prominent scar running down her back.
‘As a 12-year-old little girl, I had a big scar halfway down my back, and I was terrified of it. I was ashamed. I didn’t know what it was, I was so young.’
But in those moments of fear and self-doubt, it was her mother’s unshakeable pride that gave her courage.
‘She used to be so proud of me and my scar and what I’d been through,’ Eugenie said.
Beatrice and Eugenie spoke with warmth about the their mother’s influence and her parenting style that championed ‘conflict resolution’
The Duchess of York (pictured with much younger Princesses Beatrice, L, and Eugenie) and her daughters have a famously close relationship
‘If people were ever talking about it, she would turn me around and she would show them my scar.’
It is a touching glimpse into the private world of a Royal Family often viewed from a distance.
The heartfelt interview comes days after Princess Beatrice made waves at a star-studded event for a charity established by the Queen’s late brother.
She arrived solo – without her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi – at the event, which was held at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, west London, and hosted by the charity Elephant Family.
Beatrice wore a floor-length Rebecca Vallance gown, made of metallic brocade and featuring a subtle floral print.
Her £960 belted frock was a deep shade of crimson and she paired the look with a white satin Tyler Ellis clutch and dark red court heels.
Beatrice made waves at a star-studded event for a charity established by the Queen’s late brother
The 77-year-old Queen wore a cream tunic top with gold embroidery and matching cream palazzo trousers by designer Anna Valentine
Accessorising the elegant outfit were bedazzled jewels, as the royal donned staggering diamond rings and a matching pair of floral-shaped diamond earrings.
By way of dressing down the regal look, the beaming princess wore her hair down as she arrived for the occasion, which was also attended by the King and Queen.
The foundation works in partnership with conservation experts to preserve Asia’s wildlife, and was set up by Queen Camilla’s brother Mark Shand in 2002. Mark died in 2014, aged 62, after falling and sustaining a head injury.
In his honour, the event’s more than 250 guests were shown videos, in which he appeared.
Also in attendance yesterday evening were King Charles and Queen Camilla, who was brought to tears as she watched a posthumous recording of her brother in which he spoke of his ‘optimism’ for saving endangered animals.
The 77-year-old Queen wore a cream tunic top with gold embroidery and matching cream palazzo trousers by designer Anna Valentine.
And Camilla was joined by her sister Annabel Elliot, for the glittering soiree.
The illustrious guest list included Lady Marina Windsor, Ronaldo Nazario, the Brazilian footballer, actors Ed Westwick and Amy Jackson and Sophie Ellis-Bexter.
