The UK is one of several countries that are starting to get concerned as virus numbers are on the rise.
It's been enough of an increase that Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new restrictions. He asked Brits to work from home when possible. He also ordered bars and restaurants to close early.
One would think the royal family, who seem to desperately want to put this period of isolation behind them, would want to support those restrictions. Alas, one would be wrong.
On Tuesday night, hours after the prime minister announced the restrictions, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were spotted out on the town. Beatrice tagged along with Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, for a night of partying. The trio hit Annabel's, a private nightclub that's popular with royals and celebrities.
The optics of the night out weren't great, but the British tabloids didn't notice. They laughed off the night out as the princesses getting their partying in before restrictions went into effect.
The UK is having a hard time keeping virus numbers down. As countries around the world struggle to find the sweet spot between shutdown and business as usual, the UK has taken steps to bring them closer to the former. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new restrictions and urged people to avoid gatherings.
Among the businesses taking a hit from restrictions are pubs, bars, and restaurants. They were ordered to close earlier and were limited to table service and takeaway. The prime minister noted that the restrictions will likely have to stay in place for six months.
The royal family has been taking all public gathering restrictions pretty seriously. Senior royals isolated separately from one another. They made a return to in-person events only recently, but cautiously so. It's clear that they want to be safe but also move on with their work.
It would make sense that the royal family would adhere to government rules and observe all restrictions. Modeling good behavior from the top isn't a concept lost on society just yet, although it's fading fast. That's why many people were surprised to see Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie out on Tuesday night.
The York sisters were accompanied by Eugenie's husband, Jack Brooksbank, on their outing to Annabel's. The private, members-only nightclub is a favorite of celebrity and royals.
To their credit, the princesses were wearing masks. Still, some think this may have been an irresponsible move on their part.
It's also interesting to note that they didn't look like they were dressed for the same occasion. Beatrice was in a little black dress and heels, while Eugenie was wrapped up in a big gray coat with black leggings peeking out. Eugenie's mask, a £40 (about $51) design from Wedel Art Collective X Jenny Holzer, got a lot of attention.
The sisters' security team was trying to shield them from paparazzi photos using umbrellas. While a few photos of them entering were snapped, most were taken as the two prepared to get out of the car. Many noted that Eugenie's purse stayed firmly on her lap the whole time.
This brings us to the intense speculation around Eugenie that's been going on in the last few months. Rumors of a possible pregnancy started to swirl when no photos of the sisters from Beatrice's late July wedding were released, which seemed highly unusual given how close they are. Plus, there's the fact that Eugenie seems to be the only member of the royal family with a solo Instagram account, where she shares a lot of photos with her sister.
Earlier this month, Eugenie was spotted out shopping. Again, the nature of her outfit and its fit prompted pregnancy rumors. However, a possible pregnancy doesn't exactly square with going to a nightclub in the midst of an international health crisis.
A few things could be happening here. One is that Eugenie needed the outing as a means to stop the speculation, as most people would assume a royal wouldn't go clubbing while pregnant. If that's the case, it's awful that the speculation has made her have to take a pointed public stand. No one deserves that kind of pressure.
The other is that she is pregnant, has not yet announced it, and was there for a very specific reason. The York sisters have been photographed at many clubs many times before, so it would explain the increased measures to keep them out of sight by their security team. It's likely Eugenie wouldn't take the risks if it wasn't necessary, and a private club is a very different situation from any old nightclub.
Whatever the reason might be, you can't help but recognize the particularly privileged way that the York sisters move through the world. We can sit here and theorize why they might have gone out and to what end, but the reality is they aren't going to catch any real flak for it. It brings to mind some other non-senior royals who would never be able to justify such an outing and wouldn't be given the same kind of consideration under similar circumstances.
