Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship with senior royals remains achingly fraught, but one bond has stayed strong throughout.

Harry and his cousin Eugenie – the younger daughter of Prince Andrew – have always shared a close relationship and even throughout the last few difficult years, which has seen much strife between Harry and his brother Prince William, and father King Charles, it’s stayed solid.

Eugenie has visited Harry in the US, and recently Harry and Meghan are reported to have purchased a home in Portugal – their first European home since the couple were evicted from Frogmore Cottage – where Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank also own a place.

However, recent reports have claimed that despite her strong relationship with her cousin Harry, Eugenie has begun to find the strained and icy relationship between the Sussexes and some of the other senior royals “tiresome” and has at times acted as a go-between of sorts between her uncle King Charles and Harry.

“Eugenie is in a difficult position because she’s always been close to Harry, but she is mindful of how that relationship could affect her standing with the rest of her family. She is always trying to manage a difficult balancing act, which can become quite tiresome at times,” an unnamed source explained to The Express, who also claimed that Meghan and Harry have invited Eugenie, Jack, and their two children – August, three, and Ernest, one – to spend the festive season in California with them.

The source claimed that while the invite to spend Christmas in Montecito was welcomed, it was not the only royal invitation Eugenie received this year. “Harry and Meghan have invited Eugenie and Jack to join them in California during the holidays. It’s a very difficult position for Eugenie because she has also been invited to Sandringham,” the source explained.

Every year the monarch hosts many of the Royal Family at Sandringham for Christmas, a tradition that has been going on for decades – and sees the House of Windsor conduct a walkabout and chat with the public on their way to the annual Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

This isn’t the first time that Eugenie is reported to have found herself in the middle of Harry’s icy relationship with his father and brother, with a source expressing similar sentiments to back in October.

Royal expert Jennie Bond – the BBC’s royal correspondent for 14 years – said to OK! that she believed Charles was likely “grateful” to be able to get updates on his youngest son from Eugenie. ” Eugenie undoubtedly does have something of a challenge on her hands to maintain good relationships with both Harry and Meghan—and the rest of the royal family,” the expert said. “But I think the king is probably happy that Harry still has at least one royal cousin he clearly trusts, and presumably wants to see more of.

“However, I think it’s a positive thing that Charles does have someone he can quietly ask about Harry‘s well-being, if he is so inclined. And Harry can presumably gauge the mood of the family via Eugenie,” Bond added. “Any reconciliation—which at this stage still seems unlikely—has to start somewhere and with someone. And that person could possibly be Eugenie.”