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Royal fans have expressed confusion after Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie appeared to leave the Queen’s funeral early.
The siblings, 34 and 32, were known for being incredibly close to their grandmother, Her Majesty, and have been emotional in public since she passed away on September 8.
Today they were in the second row of Westminster Abbey when their ‘Grandma’ was buried this morning at a state funeral. While Beatrice stood next to her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Eugenie stood across the aisle next to her husband Jack Brooksbank.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie looked emotional as they stood outside Westminster Abbey, despite appearing to leave the service early
Royal fans wondered what happened when the princesses appeared to leave the service prematurely, but others thought they were just taking their place to bow to the Queen’s casket
Royal fans, however, notice an unusual detail towards the end of the intensively rehearsed service when the siblings rose and left Westminster Abbey before the end of the service.
They also saw the girls’ mother, Sarah Ferguson, who also seemed ready to leave with her daughters.
The apparent oddity in the otherwise slick state funeral confused some royal fans, who took to Twitter to ask what was going on.
A viewer asked, “Where did Beatrice and Eugenie flee to?”
Another said: ‘What happened to Beatrice and Eugenie? They left their seats and kept the bearer company… even Fergie would get up and leave. Foreign.’
Beatrice and Eugenie got into the car where they followed the procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin past Whitehall
The princesses looked solemn as they sat together in apparent silence, following their grandmother’s coffin
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie left Westminster Abbey after their beloved ‘grandma”s state funeral before getting into the car to follow the procession behind her coffin
But another eagle-eyed royal fan may have provided an explanation for why the sisters got up from their seats earlier than the other guests.
They wrote that the princesses may have got up to walk to the doors of the abbey, where they could bow to the queen’s coffin before leaving and getting into the car to leave.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie placed a heartfelt tribute to their grandmother the Queen after her death.
In a statement from both sisters and posted to Eugenie’s Twitter account, they said:
“Dear Grandma, we haven’t been able to say much since you left us all. There are tears and laughter, silences and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and a collective loss to you, our beloved queen and our beloved grandmother.
Last night the sisters attended a vigil at Westminster Hall. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi looked visibly moved as he watched over the vigil alongside Princess Eugenie (center) and Princess Beatrice (right)
The royal sisters shared a sweet image of themselves with their ‘dearest grandma’ as they paid tribute to Her Majesty with a touching statement
In the statement, the princesses said they “have not been able to put into words much since you left us all”
Zara Tindall, Lady Louise Windsor and Princess Beatrice kept watch at Westminster Hall on Saturday night
Pictured: Princess Eugenie (back left), Princess Beatrice (back right), James, Viscount Severn (center left), Lady Louise Windsor (center right), Peter Phillips (front left) and Zara Tindall (front right)
“We thought, like many, that you would be here forever. And we all miss you terribly. You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our back that led us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever.
“For now, dear grandma, we just want to say thank you. Thank you for making us laugh, for taking us in, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our tea, for comfort, for joy. You who are you will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.
“The world is mourning you and the tribute would really make you smile. They are all too true for the remarkable leader that you are.
“We’re so glad you’re back with Grandpa. Goodbye dear grandmother, it was the honor of our lives to have been your granddaughters and we are so very proud of you.
“We know that dear Uncle Charles, the King, will continue to set your example, as he too has devoted his life to service.
‘God protect the king. With our love, Beatrice and Eugenie.’
They also posted a photo of themselves as young girls laughing with the queen while making a fuss about a dog.
On Saturday night, the sisters gathered with their cousins Prince William, Prince Harry, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, to attend a vigil in honor of their beloved grandmother.
The Queen’s grandchildren surrounded her coffin to ‘guard’ him in silence as she lay in state in Westminster Hall as the audience passed by.
The wake followed two similar ceremonies performed by the Queen’s children the previous day at Westminster Hall and a few days earlier at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Dressed in black and wearing black headbands, they stood in silence and bowed their heads as they attended the vigil, which until now had been reserved for male members of the royal family.