The Royal Tradition Princess Beatrice And Princess Eugenie Don't Follow

Queen Elizabeth II reportedly had a close bond with all of her grandchildren, including Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. Royal expert Tom Quinn believes that the queen had a special place in her heart for them because the two sisters reminded her "something of her own relationship as a child with Princess Margaret" (per the documentary "Beatrice and Eugenie: Pampered Princesses?" via Daily Express).

And the queen's feelings for Beatrice and Eugenie deepened after their parents' separated in 1992. "It's always very difficult for children to see their parents split up. And I think perhaps the queen even felt more maternal towards them. They'd had a very hard time," said royal expert Angela Levin.

Through the years, the relationship between the queen and her granddaughters continued to grow. Since the girls grew up near Windsor Castle, "they would often go and have tea with the Queen and Prince Philip," according to royal author Ingrid Seward. Beatrice was also tasked by her "granny" with renovating the childhood playhouse at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, and she altered one of Elizabeth's dresses for her own wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020. And when Eugenie got engaged to Jack Brooksbank, Her Majesty was one of the few people to hear the news right away.

Yet despite how much they loved their grandmother, there was one royal tradition Beatrice and Eugenie decided not to follow.

Although it was one of Queen Elizabeth II's favorite pastimes, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice did not continue horseback riding after childhood — and it might have been their mother. Sarah Ferguson, who discouraged them from continuing with the hobby. According to Hello!, Fergie had surgery on her feet in 2019 and blamed her own experience with riding for causing her issues. "I think my toes were ruined by all the riding I did when I was young," she explained.

The princesses aren't the only royals to avoid horseback riding. Catherine, Princess of Wales, has had to avoid any sports involving horses due to allergies. However, Kate Middleton has reportedly been trying to make an impact on her health by reversing her allergy through exposure. With her family settling in to their new home in Windsor, Kate will have plenty of exposure to horses since there are polo courses located nearby. According to The Times, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have also taken up horseback riding, with Kate and William, Prince of Wales gifting their daughter with her own pony for her seventh birthday, per US Weekly.