Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: Controversy as Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie appear to leave the service early

Royal watchers have been left scratching their heads over a controversial moment in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, when two senior royals appeared to leave the ceremony early.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie sparked confusion when they were spotted reportedly walking out of Westminster Abbey before the end of their grandmother’s service.

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The royal siblings were seated in the second row on opposite sides of the abbey as they farewelled their beloved “Grannie”.

Beatrice sat alongside her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on one side, while Eugenie was seated with her husband Jack Brooksbank across the aisle.

However royal fans were left baffled when the sisters got up towards the end of the Queen’s funeral and appeared to leave before the service had completed.

A screengrab of the funeral telecast showed the sisters huddled together as they seemed to make their way out of the church.

“Anyone know why Eugenie and Beatrice left mid ceremony? Sarah Ferguson almost left with them but seems to have been told not to?” asked one Twitter user.

Other Twitter users were just as confused by the odd turn of events, especially given the precision of the royal event.

One viewer asked: “What happened with Beatrice and Eugenie? They left their seats and held up the bearer party... even Fergie was going to get up and leave. Strange.”

Wrote another: “Where did Beatrice and Eugenie run off to?”

However some suggested that the sisters may have left their seats early so they could move to the doors of the abbey and curtsey to the Queen’s coffin.

The princesses posted a moving joint statement to their grandmother in the days following her death.

‘Dearest Grannie, We’ve not been able to put much into words since you left us all,” the sisters posted on Eugenie’s Instagram account.

“There have been tears and laughter, silences and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and a collective loss for you, our beloved Queen and our beloved Grannie.

“We, like many, thought you’d be here forever. And we all miss you terribly. You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever.

“For now dear Grannie, all we want to say is thank you. Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy. You, being you, will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.

“The world mourns you and the tributes would really make you smile. They are all too true of the remarkable leader you are.

“We’re so happy you’re back with Grandpa. Goodbye dear Grannie, it has been the honour of our lives to have been your granddaughters and we’re so very proud of you.

“We know that dear Uncle Charles, the King, will continue to lead in your example as he too has dedicated his life to service.

“God save the King. With our love, Beatrice and Eugenie.”