On their terms, the York sisters are starting their own happy families

It could be the storyline for one of Fergie's fairy tales. A princess struggles to find her handsome prince and has to suffer the ignominy of watching her younger sister get married before her. Then, after a failed 10-year romance, the princess finally finds true love - only for her younger sibling to once again beat her to it, by announcing her pregnancy.

(L-R) Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in 2018.Credit: Doug Peters

Thankfully, after a rocky few years, the next chapter in the lives of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie looks set to have a happy ending.

Having had to bear the burden of their father, the Duke of York's woes amid mounting scrutiny over his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the younger Yorks are finally cultivating family lives of their own.

First marriage and now motherhood beckon as the ninth and tenth in line to the throne continue to carve a path outside of "The Firm". In a sign of their growing independence, it has even been suggested that Eugenie will not accept a title for her newborn, considering it a "curse", because she wants her children to have "ordinary lives". Meanwhile, Beatrice has also been breaking the royal mould by becoming the first "blood" princess in the House of Windsor to take on the role of stepmother, to her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's four-year-old son.

Eugenie, 30, celebrated the happy news of her pregnancy on Friday by posting a picture of teddy bear baby bootees on Instagram, writing: "Jack and I are so excited for early 2021".

Naturally, her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, was among the first to tweet her excitement - in between hosting episodes of her successful lockdown version of Jackanory on YouTube: Storytime with Fergie and Friends.

"I am so excited by the news that Eugenie and Jack are expecting their first child. Thrilled for them both and, in my 60th year, cannot wait to be a grandmother. Welcoming a new baby into the York family is going to be a moment of profound joy," she wrote.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's official family wedding photograph in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.Credit: Alex Bramall

Yet while the Queen prepares to welcome her ninth great-grandchild in the new year, the 94-year-old monarch can also take pride in the way Beatrice, 32, has adapted to life as a "new" mother to her stepson Christopher Woolf Mapelli Mozzi, from her husband's previous relationship with Dara Huang, an American designer.

As stepmother to little "Wolfie", she has been thrust into the world of school runs sooner than she might have planned. When Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in October 2018, Beatrice was single - having broken up with Dave Clark, her boyfriend of 10 years, who then promptly went on to marry someone else and start a family. But a few months later, she was reintroduced to "Edo", a childhood friend, and now has a modern, blended family of her own.

Since marrying in a private Windsor ceremony three months ago, she has become a regular at Wolfie's nursery, where she collects him and accompanies him as he rides his scooter home.

According to one onlooker who spotted them together recently: "Beatrice could have been any other mother on the school run. She welcomed the little boy out of school with a big hug and then took his bag while he set off on his scooter. It was quite touching how close they seemed. She clearly dotes on the little boy."

Beatrice has reportedly told friends she plans to be a "doting stepmother" and talks about him "all the time". One said: "She's ensured there are loads of pictures of him up in their house, so he feels like he has two families, and they do get on well.

Two pictures from Princess Beatrice's wedding were released by the royal family, neither featuring Prince Andrew, the bride's father.Credit: Royal Communications

"She has instigated a lot of that, rather than Dara. Bea has always been really close to Edo's family, so it's natural that Wolfie should become part of hers. He's a super little boy and extremely cute. It will be interesting to see what happens when they start their own family - but Bea is so caring, his happiness will always be her number one priority."

Wolfie was best man at the couple's intimate 20-person service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, in Windsor on July 17. Dressed smartly in a page boy's outfit, the little boy could be seen following the newlyweds out of the church, which was festooned with blooms. To protect his privacy, he did not feature in any of the four official photographs released by the Royal family following the surprise nuptials - which had been postponed from May and significantly scaled down due to coronavirus.

Also conspicuous by their absence from the pictorial record of the day were the mother and father of the bride. Instead, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, featured in the main wedding shot, which showed them admiring Beatrice's dress - originally designed by Sir Norman Hartnell for Her Majesty.

When the jewel-encrusted gown went on display at Windsor Castle last week, Caroline de Guitaut, curator of the exhibition, said the last-minute request to delve into the royal fashion archives came after the bride decided that a brand new design wouldn't be as appropriate for a pandemic wedding. De Guitaut explained: "She talked a lot about the upcycling aspect and how that was really important to her, given the situation that we all find ourselves in at the moment."

Such modesty and self-awareness chimes with her sister's reported rejection of a royal title for her future son or daughter - and suggests that the York women are determined to do things differently. Having repeatedly been tarred by their parents' brush - and having copped their fair share of flak for being seen to be cashing in on their royal connections - it seems "Bea and Eug" are keen to take a lower profile as they prioritise immediate family matters.

While they remain close to the Duke and Duchess, who still live together at Royal Lodge Windsor, despite separating in 1992 and divorcing four years later, both princesses had been forced to self-preserve amid mounting criticism of the Duke's behaviour.

"Of course they remain supportive of both their parents, but they have their own lives and careers and are keen to avoid being dragged into any controversy," said one insider.

Beatrice is understood to have been particularly affected by the negative press following her father's Newsnight interview last November, which resulted in him stepping back from royal life for the foreseeable future.

With the Duke's quest for his daughters to be given full-time royal roles now in tatters - and serious doubt over the future of his own official duties - it seems the princesses are now at peace with their own quasi royal status.

"Although Andrew was always pushing for them to have more royal responsibilities, all Bea and Eug have ever really wanted is to live their own lives, while supporting the Queen when the need arises," said the insider.

"In many ways, what has happened with their father has finally settled the debate over their future. It actually makes life a little easier for them."

As such, Beatrice will continue making a living at the software company Afiniti, where she is currently employed as the vice president of partnerships and strategy, while Eugenie carries on as a director at the London art gallery Hauser & Wirth, before taking maternity leave.

With Beatrice understood to be keen to start her own family, it is surely only a matter of time before the princesses start swapping baby notes as they find themselves on the same page in the next chapter of their lives.

The Telegraph London