A look at Manchester City’s fixtures after Pep Guardiola’s side were humbled by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu as Federico Valverde scored a first-half hat-trick to hand the La Liga giants victory
Manchester City’s attention will turn to other priorities this weekend after a disappointing defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. A Federico Valverde-inspired performance put Los Blancos in the driving seat for a place in the quarter-finals after a 3-0 win.
Pep Guardiola’s side cannot dwell on the scoreline as the prospect of a Premier League title race returns this weekend. City are seven points behind Arsenal in the division, but with a game in hand.
They will fall another game behind the Gunners on Saturday, as Mikel Arteta’s men face Everton a matter of hours before City take on West Ham at the London Stadium. The pressure could well and truly be on by the time 8pm arrives.
Only two games remain before the two teams face off in the Carabao Cup final, looking to win the first piece of silverware of the season, before FA Cup duties then arise after the international break.
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It remains to be seen whether Arsenal and City have additional Champions League duties after that, or space to breathe. Guardiola’s side must pull off a remarkable comeback at the Etihad in seven days’ time, while their north London rivals must beat Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates.
All eyes will be on the title-topping meeting between the clubs on April 19, however. That will be a significant match, as they all are from here on out.
The government has responded to calls to create an independent panel
Tom Burnett Content Editor
21:48, 11 Mar 2026Updated 21:49, 11 Mar 2026
The government has rejected calls – including from hundreds of people in Greater Manchester – for a new way for parents to appeal over school absences.
At present, headteachers decide whether a child’s absence is unauthorised, with parents having little chance to appeal.
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The petition, which has been signed by 14,968 people across the UK, calls for an independent panel to be set up to help ‘prevent bias’ in recording absences from school.
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It states: “As it stands, the decision whether a school absence is authorised or not lies solely with the headteacher or designated attendance officer. If this person deems the absence as not “exceptional” enough, or marks an illness absence as unauthorised, there is no formal right of appeal for parents.
“I’m proposing that the Government sets up an independent national appeals panel to allow parents to appeal a heads decision. This will prevent bias, ensure transparency, and put a stop to blanket policies within schools. Often, the nature of the absence means it should either be marked as authorised under code ‘I’, or authorised under code ‘C’ which is leave for exceptional circumstances. If a FPN is issued, parents are forced to risk court and a criminal conviction or accept liability by paying the FPN.”
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How many people have signed the petition in my area?
In Greater Manchester almost 750 people have signed the petition as of 9.30pm on Wednesday, March 11. You can see how many people have signed the petition in your constituency below:
In a response to the petition published on Wednesday, March 11, the Government said it had no plans to introduce an independent panel.
It said: “The Government has no plans to introduce an independent national appeals panel for school absences and believes there are already sufficient routes for parents to challenge inaccurate absence coding.
“The Government has no plans to introduce an independent national appeals panel for school absences. When determining the most appropriate attendance or absence code, teachers and headteachers should use their professional judgement of each pupil’s individual circumstances, context and educational needs, alongside the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance and information provided by the parent or guardian. Existing processes including informal conversations, use of the school’s complaints procedure, local authority complaints procedures, Ofsted inspections and escalation routes to DfE and to the Local Government Ombudsman provide appropriate channels for oversight and raising concerns, negating the need for a separate appeals structure.
“Parents have a legal duty under the Education Act 1996 to ensure that their child of compulsory school age (5-16) receives a full‑time education, either by attending school or otherwise. Where a child is registered at a school, parents must ensure they attend regularly. Parents can be penalised if their child is absent from school without authorisation.
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“We recognise there are situations in which a pupil is unable to attend school for a legally recognised reason. The Education Act 1996 sets out these situations in which an absent pupil will not be taken to have failed to attend school regularly. These include illness or other unavoidable circumstances, religious observance, where the school has given prior permission for absence, or where the local authority has not fulfilled any duty it has to help the child attend.
“Schools must record attendance in line with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 and with regard to the DfE’s statutory guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’. Decisions about how an absence should be recorded depend on the individual facts of each case. Headteachers and school staff know their pupils well and are therefore best placed to decide how an absence should be recorded. In the vast majority of cases, a parent’s notification that their child is ill should be sufficient for the school to authorise the absence using code I (illness). Schools also have discretion to grant a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances and parents should speak to their headteacher and present their case where they feel that such an absence is required.
“The Department has however made clear in statutory guidance that, generally, a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation would not constitute an exceptional circumstance. The majority of penalty notices (93% in the 2024-25 academic year) are issued for term-time holidays.
“Introducing an independent appeals panel would be inappropriate, given the ‘Working Together To Improve School Attendance’ guidance states that parents, schools and local authorities hold responsibility for pupils’ attendance. It would also create a bureaucratic process for thousands of routine attendance decisions made every day. This would generate significant administrative burden for schools, local authorities and any central appeals body, which would need funding, diverting time and resources away from teaching and supporting pupils.
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“The Government believes that existing routes already provide clear and fair ways for parents to raise concerns. Where a parent believes an absence has been wrongly recorded, they should discuss this with the school in the first instance. If they remain dissatisfied, they can make a formal complaint through the school’s complaints procedure. If they believe the school has acted unlawfully, they can also escalate their complaint to the Department for Education or, where relevant, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
“Local authorities also have established processes for reviewing evidence before issuing a penalty notice for unauthorised absence. Although there is no separate legal right of appeal, parents can challenge a penalty notice with the issuing local authority if they believe it was wrongly issued. Parents may provide evidence to support their case, and the authority must consider it carefully. If parents do not pay the notice and wish to contest it, the case may proceed to court, where they can present their arguments before magistrates. This provides an additional safeguard for parents who believe they have been treated unfairly.
“For these reasons, the Government does not believe that a new national appeals panel is necessary or appropriate. The current system already allows schools to apply professional judgement, gives parents clear ways to raise concerns or challenge decisions, and ensures that local authorities act carefully and proportionately in enforcing school attendance. This approach helps maintain consistency while keeping decision‑making close to the pupils and families who are directly affected.”
The Labour York and North Yorkshire mayor said walking with special goggles and with a cane along Walmgate was very overwhelming and made him feel vulnerable.
Scott Jobson, chief executive of MySight York who hosted the mayor, said he hoped the walk gave him a sense of the challenges people they help face.
Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) North Yorkshire campaigns lead Lewis Winton said the powerful experience was an opportunity to show what living with sight loss is like.
It comes as Mr Skaith visited the charity, based in Walmgate, on Wednesday, March 11.
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The mayor spoke to people who work with them and to blind and partially-sighted people including about getting around York, finding support and adapting to life with visual impairments.
MySight is a local charity with more than 1,700 members which helps people live independent lives and connects them to others through activities, socialising and counselling.
The visit saw Mr Skaith try on several goggles which simulate different kinds of sight conditions including cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.
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York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith (centre) with MySight Chief Executive Scott Jobson (second, right) and RNIB North Yorkshire campaigns lead Lewis Winton (end right), outside MySight, in Walmgate, York. Picture is from LDRS
Charity staff then took him on to Walmgate with goggles on giving the wearer the vision they would have if they had Retinitis Pigmentosa.
The condition refers to the total loss of peripheral vision, otherwise known as tunnel vision.
Mr Skaith walked with assistance from a MySight worker down Walmgate.
He was then given a cane and walked without physical help from staff.
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The mayor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) what the experience was like immediately after the walk.
He said: “It was very overwhelming, you realise how quickly you can become incredibly vulnerable and isolated.
“If you were doing this on your own in a new environment that you didn’t know it would be incredibly challenging, you can see why a lot of people struggle to manage.
“After this, I want to make sure what the combined authority’s currently doing on its strategy for transport and on efforts to get more people back into jobs works for everyone.”
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York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith (centre) on a guided walk with MySight in Walmgate, York. Picture is from LDRS
MySight Chief Executive Mr Jobson said he was grateful the mayor took the time to visit the charity.
He said: “Experiences like the guided walk help bring to life some of the everyday barriers faced by people living with sight loss.
“We hope the visit gave David a sense of both those challenges and the important role MySight York plays in helping blind and partially sighted people across York live independent, confident and connected lives.”
Now, there is a new man in the Madrid dugout, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking over from Xabi Alonso. He locks horns with Guardiola for the first time in his nascent managerial career, with the City boss eyeing a fourth European crown of his career after two with Barcelona and one with City.
WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers were digging into Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling financial portfolio on Wednesday as a committee deposed his former accountant and tried to understand his connections to some of the world’s wealthiest men.
Richard Kahn, who worked closely with Epstein for years and now serves as an executor of his estate, appeared for the closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill. He told lawmakers that he had not personally seen evidence of Epstein’s sexual abuse, but provided a fuller picture of how Epstein acquired his wealth. The wealthy financier made hundreds of millions of dollars over two decades, during which he struck up friendships with some of the world’s most powerful men.
Kahn “was under the impression that Epstein made his money as a tax advisor and a financial planner,” said Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers argued that a fuller picture of Epstein’s finances could help the public understand how, for years, he was able to get away with trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls.
“Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring would not have been possible without Richard Kahn, who managed Epstein’s money for years, authorized payments, including payments to victims and survivors,” said Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., who added that Kahn told them he was unable to recall details of some of the transactions and communications that he was asked about.
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Kahn has said that he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual abuse and had not seen any of his victims.
Comer, R-Ky., also said that lawmakers confirmed during the deposition that Epstein received significant amounts of money from former retail shopping chain executive Les Wexner, hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, tech entrepreneur Steven Sinofsky, investor Leon Black and the Rothschilds, a wealthy banking family.
None of those people have been accused of wrongdoing in their relationships with Epstein, but Democrats on the committee argued that anyone with ties to the wealthy financier should be scrutinized. Wexner was deposed by the committee last month, and Comer has also called on Black, among several others, to appear for transcribed interviews.
Kahn also told lawmakers that Epstein had financial ties to Ehud Barak, who was the prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001, according to Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam. Barak has not been accused of wrongdoing and has said he regrets his friendship with Epstein.
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Comer also said Wednesday that the committee has reviewed over 40,000 documents that it subpoenaed from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Epstein was connected to at least 64 business entities, according to Comer.
Republican President Donald Trump has strongly denied any wrongdoing in his own ties to Epstein, and Comer said that Kahn had never seen any financial transactions between Epstein and Trump. Comer said that Kahn is the latest witness to testify that they had never seen Trump doing anything wrong with Epstein.
“The investigation’s about getting the truth to the American people, trying to figure out how the government failed, answer questions we all have,” Comer said.
The International Energy Agency (IEA), the developed nation body founded in the 1970s to deal with oil crises precisely like the one we’re now facing, has announced something extraordinary.
Its members, which is to say most of the world’s rich nations, will release an unprecedented amount of oil from their national stockpiles into the global market in the coming weeks.
This emergency stockpile release is more than double the last record, a whopping 400 million barrels of oil, to come from the stockpiles of its members around the world. Yet here’s the striking thing: far from falling, oil prices barely budged. After the announcement, Brent crude was still around 25% higher than before the attacks in the Gulf began.
Image: Tankers sit in Muscat, Oman, as Iran vowed to shut the Strait of Hormuz. Pic: Reuters
All of which raises the question: why? The short answer is that even after this new infusion of oil, the world is likely to remain short of oil. The long answer comes back to the fundamental nature of the oil market.
The best way to think of the oil market is as an enormous set of pipes through which crude oil and its products are constantly flowing. What matters, far more than how much oil there is in the ground, either in the form of reservoirs or stockpiles, is something more simple: how much oil is pumped through the global system every day.
And in recent years, the amount pumped through the system each day has worked out at about 100 million barrels of oil. Now, these numbers go up and down as the seasons turn and perhaps, in the coming years, might go down as people adopt electric cars and find alternatives to fossil fuels. But the key thing to keep in the back of your mind is that for the time being, much of the world’s living standards – our access to transportation, to power, to consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and the rest – depends on that 100 million barrels of oil pumped through the world’s pipes.
All of which brings us back to the Persian Gulf, which is responsible for about 30% of the world’s oil, of which around 15 million barrels pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day. The heart of the energy shock the world is getting its head round comes back to the fact that it is running short of 15 million barrels of oil a day. In other words, it’s all about that gap – between the oil we need to keep the world functioning and the oil we actually have.
Just not enough supply
That brings us back to the IEA’s emergency release. While the overall number is certainly high, what matters even more is a number the organisation didn’t release on Tuesday: how much of that oil it expects to come out each day. In other words, how much of the 15 million barrel gap will those emergency supplies fill?
The expectation among analysts is that the number will be 4-5 million barrels, which is not nothing but, as you’ll know if you have elementary mathematics, still leaves the world at least 10 million barrels short of oil each day.
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There are other sources of oil. For one thing, Saudi Arabia, and to a lesser extent the United Arab Emirates, could pump more oil through their pipelines to ports that are not inside the Gulf (in other words, meaning tankers do not need to brave the straits). That might, optimistically, mean another 5.7 million barrels of oil.
On top of this, there are a handful of ships still passing through Hormuz. An educated guess suggests this might bring in another half a million or maybe, at the outside, a million barrels.
Tot it all up, though, taking the very best case scenario, and you’re still talking about a shortfall of 4 million barrels of oil for the global economy. This is far less scary than the 15 million shortfall we started off with, but it is nonetheless not enough to satisfy global oil consumption.
Why prices are still high
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Which is at least part of the explanation for why oil prices are still so high and why, all around the world, countries are feeling the impacts. We tend to focus, here in Europe, on the stuff we are beginning to see – on higher petrol prices and the implications for bills. But it’s fanning out elsewhere too, especially in Asia. Indian oil refineries are shutting down; provinces are rationing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies for local households. Workers in Thailand and Vietnam are being urged to work from home to safeguard petrol supplies.
And the longer this goes on, the more of these impacts we will see. The world is facing an energy gap; it’s not clear how it bridges it.
Tanfield Railway was named ‘Railway of the Year’ at the Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards, held in Llandudno on March 7.
The awards recognise heritage railways across the UK, and Tanfield Railway stood out for its boost in passenger numbers and media coverage of its 300th anniversary celebrations last year.
The awards ceremony, which gathered over 300 representatives from heritage railways across the UK, saw Tanfield Railway receive the top accolade of the night.
David Watchman, general manager of Tanfield Railway, praised the work of volunteers in helping the railway achieve this award.
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“This is the award everyone in the UK’s 180-plus heritage railways wants to win,” he said.
Volunteers celebrated after taking home the top gong. (Image: TANFIELD RAILWAY)
“So to be bringing the award back to the North East is amazing.
“I hope it can be a real catalyst to go on and achieve even more.”
The railway also celebrated Ben Wilson, its diesel locomotive foreman, as the joint winner of the Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer Award.
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Mr Wilson, who started volunteering at 12, has become a key member of the team, using his technical skills to maintain and restore the locomotives, and is also noted for being one of the youngest locomotive drivers.
There was also a win for one of the railway’s volunteers. (Image: TANFIELD RAILWAY)
It is believed to be the first time in the history of the HRA awards that a single organisation has secured the Young Volunteer title two years in succession, with another Tanfield Railway volunteer, Elise Campbell, winning in the same category during 2025.
Heritage Railway Association chairman, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, praised Tanfield Railway for overcoming challenges to preserve railway heritage and for nurturing young volunteers.
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The Heritage Railway Association Awards saw a record-breaking number of entries this year. In addition to the main award, Tanfield Railway was also highly commended for its Tanfield300 events, narrowly beaten by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s Railway Children Theatre Show.
Hollyoaks welcomes a brand new family to the village – and you might recognise them! (Picture: Lime Pictures)
Hollyoaks is set to grant yet another fan wish as a brand new family are all set to rock up in the eponymous village – and it’s safe to say they waste little time in making a splash, with the stars warning viewers to ‘buckle up’.
Meet the Keanes.
Fresh images show the newcomers packing up a removal van as they prepare for a new life in the Chester-based village – and they’re very much giving off good vibes and great dynamics.
The first stars announced as part of this long-awaited new family have already filmed their debut scenes for the Channel 4 soap and they’ve done so on-location, which will surely make them ones to remember.
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If you’re a fan of the soaps – and I imagine that you are if you’re reading this – then you might just recognise the actors set to take Hollyoaks by storm, with Emmerdale’s Matthew Wolfenden playing the patriarch of the clan alongside Coronation Street stars Rebecca Ryan and Lewis Walton.
Matthew, who starred as David Metcalfe in the ITV soap for 17 years, said of his casting: ‘I’m so excited to finally share that I’m joining Hollyoaks as part of a brand-new family arriving in the village.
‘It’s an absolute privilege to step into this world and be part of something so iconic. From the moment I read the scripts, I knew this was going to be something special.
Matthew is best known to audiences as David Metcalfe on Emmerdale (Picture: Lime Pictures)
‘I can’t wait for the audience to meet them and see how they turn a few heads along the way… it’s going to be a ride, buckle up.’
Discussing her new role, she said: ‘I am so excited to be joining the cast of Hollyoaks.
Rebecca is known for her roles on Corrie, Casualty and Shameless (Picture: Lime Pictures)
‘My character is feisty and a bit of a firecracker but fiercely loyal. I am so excited for everyone to meet her. I am having the best time so far and can’t wait for her story to unfold.’
The third cast member set to be introduced is Lewis Walton, who is best known for having played the role of young Mick in a flashback episode of Coronation Street.
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Lewis Walton will no doubt be recognised by Corrie fans (Picture: Lime Pictures)
On his Hollyoaks alter-ego, Lewis said: I’m thrilled to be joining the Hollyoaks cast. My character is charismatic, sporty and someone who’s always been the fun, positive presence in the room.
‘He’s incredibly close to his family and determined to follow in his dad’s footsteps, while chasing big ambitions of his own, especially when it comes to sport.
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‘But life doesn’t always go to plan, and an unexpected challenge will force him to dig deeper than ever before…’.
Consider us intrigued.
Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.
If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.
A Woman of Substance has been brought to life on Channel 4 thanks to a star-studded cast.
Hayley Anderson TV Reporter
20:57, 11 Mar 2026
A Woman Of Substance official trailer for Channel 4 drama
A Woman of Substance is nearly here and fans will be delighted to spot recognisable faces from the likes of The Last Kingdom and Peaky Blinders.
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Spanning two separate eras, Channel 4′s A Woman of Substance explores the journey of Emma Harte who begins as a destitute servant before a series of devastating events propel her towards ambition and success.
Jump forward to the 1970s, and Emma Harte now commands her own international business empire, yet she continues to face conflicts within her own family.
A Woman of Substance cast
Emma Harte – Brenda Blethyn
The role of Emma Harte in her late 70s goes to actress Brenda Blethyn, well-versed in successful dramas, best known for her portrayal of DCI Vera Stanhope in ITV’s Vera across 14 years.
Her credits also include Pride and Prejudice, Saving Grace, Kate and Koji and War and Peace, amongst numerous other productions.
Young Emma Harte – Jessica Reynolds
Emma Harte didn’t come from privilege, spending her early years in service as a maid whilst harbouring grander aspirations of achieving genuine prosperity.
Outlander enthusiasts will most readily identify Jessica Reynolds from her role as Malva Christie in the MGM+ romantic drama’s sixth series.
She’s also remembered for playing Lady Christine O’Madden in last year’s Netflix sensation House of Guinness.
Adam Fairley – Emmett J Scanlan
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Adam Fairley serves as the head of the affluent Fairley household where Emma is employed during the 1900s.
He remains committed to maintaining order, despite grappling with family troubles behind the scenes.
Actor Emmett J Scanlan gained recognition playing the complex Brendan Brady in Hollyoaks but has subsequently appeared in numerous major dramas.
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These include Kin, The Tower, The Teacher, Gangs of London, Unforgotten, Mobland and Peaky Blinders as Billy Grade.
Adele Fairley – Leanne Best
Actress Leanne Best has appeared in acclaimed programmes including Ripper Street, Line of Duty, Home Fires, Cold Feet, Tin Star, Young Wallander and more recently, This City Is Ours.
She portrays Adam’s wife Adele Fairley, who lives with agoraphobia, a fear preventing her from escaping certain situations which confines her to her room much of the time.
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Olivia Wainwright – Lydia Leonard
Olivia Wainwright is Adele’s sister, residing at Fairley Hall to assist Adam during public engagements, assuming the lady of the house’s responsibilities whenever required.
She is portrayed by actress Lydia Leonard, whose credits include Last Christmas, The Crown, A Very Royal Scandal and Wolf Hall, amongst others.
Edwin Fairley – Ewan Horrocks
Actor Ewan Horrocks has featured as Drusus in Domina and Aelfweard of Wessex in the Netflix production The Last Kingdom.
He plays Edwin Fairley, one of Adam and Adele’s sons who has captured the attention of young Emma Harte, despite their markedly different social standings.
Jack Harte – Will Mellor
Jack Harte is Emma Harte’s devoted father who toils relentlessly each day to provide for his family.
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Actor Will Mellor is an instantly recognisable presence across memorable television programmes, having previously appeared in Broadchurch, Coronation Street, Casualty, Hollyoaks, Line of Duty, The Teacher and Mr Bates Vs The Post Office.
Other cast members include:
Frank Harte – Lenny Rush
Gerald Fairley – Harry Cadby
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Jim Fairley – Toby Regbo
A Woman of Substance continues every Wednesday and Thursday at 9pm on Channel 4.
Royal insiders are suggesting that concerns are mounting over the extent of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
Georgia Burns Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer and Michael Moran
20:35, 11 Mar 2026
The fallout from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s controversial relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein appears to have little impact on his two daughters. However, recent developments have drawn his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson deeper into the scandal. While Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie seem largely unaffected, reports suggest they may be excluded from four royal engagements last this year.
But according to the Daily Telegraph ‘s executive editor Camilla Tominey, that situation could be about to shift. She noted that several royal insiders have hinted privately that Beatrice and Eugenie may face scrutiny. Reading a text message she received from a ‘royal insider’ on the Daily T podcast, Camilla said: “The York sisters stuff is going to get a lot worse.
“They’ve escaped a lot of the scrutiny, but there’s a lot of information on them and their associations with Epstein along with their parents.” Beatrice and Eugenie are reported to have joined their mother on a trip to visit Epstein in Miami shortly after his release from prison on a sex-related conviction.
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At the time of the visit Eugenie was 19 years old, while Beatrice was 21. “They weren’t five-year-old girls when they were taken to see Epstein. They were grown ups,” insists author Andrew Lownie, whose book Entitled sparked a wave of revelations about Andrew. There is currently no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of either sister, the Express reports.
Reports also suggest that Beatrice and Eugenie were at times asked by Epstein to entertain some of his unidentified associates and even give tours of Buckingham Palace. “There does seem to be this rumbling idea that there is more to discover,” says the Telegraph’s Royal Editor Hannah Furness.
Hannah emphasised that although insider gossip suggest that the York sisters are “up to their necks” in the Epstein scandal, there is no evidence they were aware of the convicted sex trafficker’s activities at his various properties worldwide.
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The “mood music” surrounding Beatrice and Eugenie appear to have shifted in recent weeks, Hannah adds. When the King removed his younger brother’s title of prince in October last year, the sisters retained their own titles, with assurances that for them it would remain “business as usual”.
“That seems to have gone a little bit quiet in the last few weeks,” Hannah added. “I’m not sure the girls feel as supported as they did by the Palace.”
With uncertainty over how much support they currently have from King Charles, Hannah states “They’re sort of in this vacuum of suggestions and rumours and questions, but not very many answers for them and that must be frustrating.”
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There is considerable uncertainty over whether the sisters will attend Royal Ascot this year, and it seems highly unlikely that they will participate in the traditional carriage procession alongside the senior royals.
In the most recent set of documents linked to the Epstein investigation, both Beatrice and Eugenie’s names appear repeatedly, with Eugenie reportedly mentioned over 300 times. While the presence of a name in the sprawling collection of papers does not constitute evidence of wrongdoing, in the highly scrutinised world of royalty, perception carries immense weight.
A royal insider told The i newspaper that although Beatrice and Eugenie might attend Royal Ascot privately, they are unlikely to take part in the ceremonial processions that precede each day’s racing.
They said: “They might attend the races among the crowd but they can’t be seen in the royal carriage procession with all this going on.” Additionally, there is currently no expectation that either princess will be present at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June.
Royal biographer Russell Myers pointed out that although Prince William had previously invited his cousins to help him and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, host a garden party at Buckingham Palace, it now seems almost certain that this summer he will follow his father’s example.
“He can’t be seen to be acting out of turn against the King, and there is no indication that he wants to,” he said.
According to the Mail on Sunday, the Prince and Princess of Wales are now determined to keep Beatrice and Eugenie “at arm’s length,” at least “for the rest of the year.”
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Meanwhile, the Sunday Times reports that the couple have been “careful” to avoid being seen alongside the princesses as far back as Christmas Day at Sandringham.
As snippets of information continue to drip-feed from the Epstein investigation, the senior royals will presumably continue to exercise extant caution.
