Princess Beatrice has been drawn into the ongoing fallout from her father's scandals after hosting an exclusive event at a controversial Saudi Arabian investment forum.
A Royal Gathering in the Desert
The 37-year-old royal was spotted hosting an 'afternoon tea' for women business leaders at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh on October 27. The event occurred as her father, the former Prince Andrew, faced mounting pressure following the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre's memoirs, where she detailed claims of being trafficked to have sex with him when she was 17.
The gathering was co-hosted by Canadian wellness entrepreneur Ruma Bose and the Lioness Collective, a US business consultancy. Held in the hotel's executive lounge, the meeting focused on 'sharing insights and bold ideas for investing in women, wellness and the next generation of leaders', according to reports.
Controversial Backdrop and Royal Consequences
The tea party formed part of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), an annual investment summit often dubbed 'Davos in the Desert'. The event is organised by Saudi Arabia's main sovereign wealth fund, which controls an estimated €941 billion and has faced significant criticism over the kingdom's human rights record.
Many global businesses including Google, Uber, and JP Morgan Chase previously pulled out of the event following the 2018 execution of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey. While most companies have since reinstated their ties with the FII, several media organisations including CNN and the FT have not returned as sponsors.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace was preparing to strip Prince Andrew of all his titles and honours during Beatrice's Saudi engagement. The Duke of York had recently agreed to stop using his peerages as fresh details continued to emerge about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Royal Reshuffle and Family Dynamics
Newly-published US court documents revealed that Andrew emailed Epstein in 2010 suggesting it would be 'good to catch up in person' shortly after the late paedophile billionaire was released from prison for child sex offences. Andrew strongly denies all wrongdoing.
The disgraced royal has been told he must move out of his taxpayer-funded Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge, and will relocate to a property on the King's Sandringham estate. The move is being paid for by his elder brother, King Charles, though insiders suggest it may not happen until next year to avoid the embarrassment of Andrew being present for the Royal Family's Christmas gathering.
In an apparent effort to show that Beatrice and her sister Eugenie are not to be sidelined over their father's disgracing, King Charles has since granted Beatrice another patronage. The only significant position Andrew still holds is in the royal succession, where he currently places eighth in line to the throne.
