No more guards for Beatrice, Eugenie

London - Britain's Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are to be to be stripped of police protection.

The move comes after concerns were raised about the royal pair's £500 000 annual bill for round-the-clock protection including salaries, accommodation and living and travel expenses of two full-time bodyguards each.

The royals - daughters of Prince Andrew, and fifth and sixth in line to the throne - are presently shadowed by minders to lectures and social events, while they study at university.

Beatrice, 22, is a student at the University of London and her 21-year-old sister attends Newcastle University.

Furious

However, a review into spending on the royals' protection by Scotland Yard has decided they will now only be granted the services of close protection officers when they are on royal engagements.

Prince Andrew is said to be furious at the decision, and had lobbied hard to keep the protection for his daughters, although his argument ultimately failed because their cousin Zara Phillips, the daughter of Princess Anne, has given up her police protection, even though she has a higher public profile.

The move to change the levels of protection for the royal family is part of a drive to reduce the present current annual £50m cost of security for the royals, and is believed to have the backing of senior members of the family.

Both the queen and Prince Charles have been keen to cut the cost of the monarchy to the British public.