After what has undoubtedly been the most difficult year of her life, Princess Beatrice recently marked her 38th birthday. The eldest daughter of the disgraced former Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson has understandably taken a step back from the spotlight after the details of her parents’ associations with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light.

Despite previously using her public profile to back causes close to her heart, such as dyslexia charities, the Princess has flown under the radar as scrutiny around the York family continues. Following her birthday on Saturday, a royal insider revealed exactly how Beatrice spent her special day after such a gruelling 12-months.

Speaking to The Sun, a royal insider said: “Don’t expect any big celebrations. It is going to be a remarkably low-key, almost gloomy birthday this year. In the past, Beatrice loved a grand celebration. She was the life and soul of the party. But how can you celebrate when your family name is dragged through the mud on a daily basis?

“She has been deeply distressed at times. There will be no fanfare, just a small gathering including her devoted husband Edoardo and the children. It’s a deeply sad state of affairs.”

While the day was undoubtedly a quiet one, Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, did take to social media to post a carousel of photographs, paying tribute to his “phenomenal, beautiful wife”.

Andrew Lownie, the author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, the book which triggered intense speculation to Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s private lives, also spoke out on Beatrice’s birthday.

He said: “Much has changed for the York family since Beatrice’s last birthday. Her father remains under, in effect, house arrest in Norfolk with the possibility of being charged with sharing confidential information, her mother probably still in hiding abroad.”

“The publication of my book Entitled and Virginia Giuffre’s memoir Nobody’s Girl, the release of damning material about the family from Jeffrey Epstein’s papers, the de-princing of her father and his eviction from Royal Lodge and questions raised over the daughters’ subsidised accommodation at St James’s Palace and Kensington Palace, though not working royals.”

While the York sisters did not make any appearance at Royal Ascot in June, Beatrice and Eugenie did join the rest of the Royal Family to attend the wedding of their cousin, Peter Phillips, to NHS nurse, Harriet Sperling, in the Cotswolds on June 6.

While trouble has followed trouble for the York family recently, there was one big reason to celebrate last week when Princess Eugenie welcomed her third baby – and first daughter – at a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal.

The new baby’s name is yet to be announced; however, it was reported that Sarah Ferguson broke her period of hiding to travel to Portugal to be with her daughter and meet her newest grandchild.