Princess Beatrice appeared to adopt "a deliberately projected air of resilience" as she was seen in public for the first time since her father, Prince Andrew, announced he would give up his titles, a body language expert has said.

The prince's eldest daughter was spotted driving her car to her parents' Windsor home, Royal Lodge, where Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, can continue living even if they are no longer known as Duke and Duchess of York. According to body language expert Judi James, Beatrice, 37, adopted facial expressions that seemed to be "a stab of bravado" as she faces "unwanted attention" due to the scandal surrounding her father.

Judi said that despite her efforts to show resilience, at some point Beatrice appeared to signal "some distress" through her body language. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, the expert said: "With what looks like a face bare of make-up and with her hair scruffed up into a casual, rickety knot on the top of her head, Beatrice could superficially appear to be signalling some distress here, as though she's dropped everything to drive to either see and support her mum, dad or both, or to just discuss their current circumstances.

"Given the fact that Andrew is headline news right now, there was presumably a much larger crowd of photographer waiting to snap her as she 'broke cover' but her reaction in this photo looks counter-intuitive. Rather than adopting the body language of tension, Beatrice seems to have swerved the idea of a grave, solemn and concerned expression or of a more regally stoic poker face here."

She added: "Her mouth is wide open, and it seems to be in a wide, beaming, teeth-baring smile. The smile also appears to be present in her eye expression, with a crescent-shaping."

Judi continued: "This choice of facial expression could be a stab at bravado. Grinning wide grins while driving alone and under the current circumstances, with all the possibly unwanted attention, would generally suggest a desire to adopt a deliberately projected air of resilience and the rather exaggerated, overkill nature of this smile might confirm that thought."

In the wake of the media storm around Andrew and Fergie, Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie, 35, have seemingly taken a step back from public engagements. The princesses had been scheduled to attend an event at the British Museum over the weekend alongside celebrities and members of the aristocracy - but failed to show.

Beatrice and Eugenie had also been set to appear at the Pink Ball, which was aiming to mirror the famous Met Gala event which takes place in New York every May. Naomi Campbell, Janet Jackson and Diana, Princess of Wales' niece, Lady Kitty Spencer were all on the guest list, alongside the two princesses.

While there had been no public announcement that Beatrice and Eugenie were attending, Hello! Magazine claims that the sisters were on the guest list but failed to attend. Although their parents will no longer use their royal titles, the two sisters will not be impacted this.

While the princesses will retain their royal titles, royal expert Katie Nicholl said that Beatrice and Eugenie are "the most unfortunate victims" as they have "had to suffer in silence". She said: "It can't be easy to see their parents dragged through something like this, and they remain very much loved nieces of the King." Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams added: "This will be a deeply painful period for the sisters as their parents are both likely to languish in public disgrace and foreseeably so."

Today, a Buckingham Palace source said the new allegations against Andrew are of "very serious and grave concern" and should be "examined in the appropriate way". The Metropolitan Police is "actively" looking into claims Andrew passed his sex accuser Virginia Giuffre's date of birth and social security number to his bodyguard in a bid to dig up dirt for a smear campaign.

It comes amid the publication of Ms Giuffre's posthumous memoirs in which she wrote that Andrew's team tried to hire "internet trolls to hassle" her. In her harrowing book, Nobody's Girl, she recounted her allegations of an orgy with Andrew and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and "eight other young girls".

She also told how she dressed like her idols Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera when she claimed to first meet the prince when she was 17 - wearing the outfit in the famous photo which showed a grinning Andrew with his arm around her waist. The King's brother relinquished his Duke of York title on Friday amid intensified focus on his links with Epstein, and on Ms Giuffre's allegations that she was forced to have sex with the prince three times after being trafficked by Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied having sex with Ms Giuffre.

A palace source said action was needed because of "what lies at the heart of this, the broader allegations and the issues highlighted." They added that the "new allegations that have been brought up" are of "very serious and grave concern" and "should be examined in the appropriate way."

Princess Beatrice 'projects air of resilience' in face of 'unwanted attention' over Prince Andrew - The Mirror