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Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have been urged to distance themselves from the York name and instead use their married surnames following the ongoing controversy surrounding their parents.

The suggestion was made by former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, who said the sisters may want to quietly step back from their royal titles as scrutiny continues over their father, the former Duke of York. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles last year following his links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. He was later arrested on his 66th birthday and remains under investigation for alleged misconduct in public office.

Ms Bond said the princesses had never been known for heavily promoting their royal status but suggested that stepping away from the York name could be sensible given the controversy, GB News reported.

"I don't think either of them has ever flaunted their titles, but there's obviously a huge cachet in some circles about being called a princess," she said.

"A title like that opens doors and sets up connections, which both Beatrice and Eugenie have used to their advantage. There's nothing wrong with that, but now that their father has been stripped of his titles and their mother can no longer use hers, they might like to quietly drop the use of theirs."

She added that there was no need for the sisters to publicly renounce their titles, but suggested they could instead adopt their married names to distance themselves from the York brand.

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"It might be prudent to sever links with the York name, now so very tarnished, and just use their married names," she said.

Beatrice, 37, married property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, while Eugenie, 35, married businessman Jack Brooksbank in 2018.

Despite the controversy surrounding their parents, both sisters continue to maintain homes within royal residences under arrangements made by their father. Beatrice is said to hold an apartment at St James's Palace, while Eugenie lives at Ivy Cottage, a three bedroom residence within the grounds of Kensington Palace.

Their mother, Sarah Ferguson, has also faced renewed scrutiny after emails appeared to show she introduced her daughters to Epstein shortly after his release from prison following a sex trafficking conviction.

Eugenie recently stepped down as patron of Anti-Slavery International after seven years. The move came after the Charity Commission said it was reviewing concerns related to the Anti-Slavery Collective, a separate organisation she co founded in 2017.

Being named in documents connected to the Epstein files does not imply any wrongdoing.

Bond said the current situation was likely difficult for both princesses and suggested they focus on their private lives and careers outside the royal spotlight.

"This is a difficult time for both women and they might do well to keep their heads down and get on with their jobs and family lives," she said.