As we discussed last week, Princess Beatrice has been unemployed for two months or more. She quit her fancy job with Sony Europe back in December, and since then, she’s managed to squeeze in FOUR vacations. When the media pointed this out – that a 26 year old princess and sixth in line to the throne seemed rather “work-shy” – Beatrice’s people claimed that she was considering her options and she would have another job soon enough. Well, a job has not materialized. Instead, Beatrice is now going to move to America to… “study finance.”
Princess Beatrice has shrugged off “work-shy” criticism and begun studying finance in the United States, Buckingham Palace confirmed today. The 26-year-old has enrolled onto a short course across the Atlantic, although it is not thought that it will be a permanent move for the Queen’s granddaughter. A spokeswoman said: “Princess Beatrice has started a finance course in America.”
Beatrice left her £20,000-a-year post at Sony Pictures in December, where she was among hundreds of members of staff whose salaries were revealed online in a suspected hack by North Korea. She worked as a coordinating producer at the firm’s London offices for less than a year. The sixth-in-line to the throne carried out ten Royal engagements while holding down the position.
The young Royal attracted criticism after going on three holidays – including two to the Caribbean – with boyfriend Dave Clark. She and Mr Clark, who is believed to earn a six-figure salary at Virgin Galactic, enjoyed at least another five holidays in St Barts, Spain, France and America during the course of last year. However, the palace has insisted that their travel was “entirely privately funded”.
Beatrice’s friends hit back at claims that the Princess was a “scrounger” and “work-shy”.
Earlier this year an unnamed friend told the Mail on Sunday: “This is like going back to the Tudor times when some people attacked the Yorks, and we are not going to tolerate it. Beatrice has got another two interviews next week and she is not scared of hard work. She’s in her mid-20s and is trying to build up work experience with financial companies and start-ups. She has done plenty of work experience, so she can forge a serious career with lots of skills. How dare people attack her for not working hard when she does exactly that in her office for charities and for the Royal Family?”
I chose this Express story because I’m sort of obsessed with the quotes from the “unnamed friend.” It seems like Beatrice thinks someone (her cousin William, perchance?) is coming after her. While William’s team might want another royal woman to get the “work-shy” tag, I have to think that the British media could have come up with this stuff on their own. I mean, she only did 10 royal engagements in one year? Even Duchess Kate manages to do better than that. When your vacation tally outnumbers your royal engagement tally, there’s a problem.
But here’s my real question: who starts a “finance course” in America in the middle of February? Most colleges and universities have set semesters and summer courses. If Beatrice, say, started a finance course at any American university, it would have started in mid-January or maybe late January (at the latest). But Beatrice was in the midst of her third post-job holiday at that point. Plus, I think it’s fishy that the explanation last week was “she’s looking for her next job” and this week it’s “she’s already started a finance course.” It might seem picayune, but Beatrice keeps two royal apartments, you know? The taxpayers are funding at least part of her lifestyle.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Where’s Sixer? I smell a riot.
I’m here but I am overrun with work, sorry! I have been for ages now. Meh. D’you want serious or mucking about?
Serious: you don’t really do vocational courses at high class institutions here. If whatsherface wants to “finance”, she would have to go to a lower tier institution and a) be laughed at for Mickey Mousing or b) mix with the hoi polloi. Presumably, hence the US.
Mucking about: the Comet is SO MUCH PRETTIER.
Bonus points for hoi polloi usage.
P.S. Kíddo loathes marmite on burnt toast with soft boiled eggs and sliced tomato. The End.
I eat hoi polloi for breakfast. hmmph.
Hoi polloi and chips. Can’t beat it.
Sixer has been mysteriously MIA. I cannot invite only her to a party now, and I fear that there might have been foul play and a kidnapping in a Cometbatch Sophie thread.
ETA: Sixer!, you were apparently rescued by Liam Neeson.
No, honest. It’s just work is all. I’ll be back proper-like when it eases off. I miss you two!
(Oh, and obviously I’ve had to watch every episode of Wolf Hall at least three times each).
Wolf Hall started!?!?! YES! I’ve been waiting a year for this!
Wolf Hall finished. It was sublime.
BBG: finished last night. All six episodes are on BBC iplayer at the moment.
Sixer: what did you think overall?
LAK: I really loved it. BBC iPlayer has a fab interview with Rylance and Kominsky by Kirsty Wark. Worth a watch. I thought Rylance, Foy and Lewis were all wonderful. Loved the darkness of the interior shots and all the little period details – the cloth over the shoulder when eating, etc. And that they took so much of the wittier dialogue straight from the book. Think the anti-Catholic criticisms completely miss the point: it’s idealism vs pragmatism that’s the centre of things.
Could go on and on for AGES.
(Think fans of The Tudors may be disappointed).
PS: Also loving C4’s Indian Summer – SO beautifully shot and interesting to me after the white saviour arguments on here about US films on minority issues. There definitely won’t be any of those in it. I suppose there’s enough distance from the Empire now to make the perspective more mature?
I loved the detail of Wolf Hall, but I have to say I wasn’t impressed by the end. Loved the first episode. Thought the set up was really good etc, couldn’t wait for the next episode, blah, blah.
However, I do agree with Lewis and Foy. I am in 2 minds about Rylance. I think he is a subtle and superb actor, but I didn’t like his Cromwell.
Indian Summer – will give it a go on your recommendation. I’m still traumatised by Alec Guinness in ‘A Passage to India’.
Wolf Hall is premiering here in the US on April 5… woot woot for PBS Masterpiece!
Where do I sign up to get saved by Liam Neeson? From the sound of it, I’ll have to share him with Sixer and VirgiliaC.
She does less than Kate, but she’s lower down the royal hierarchy. Isn’t that the excuse given when Kate does less work than the 90 year olds? And I can’t recall Kate ever sending out a resume…
I don’t recall Waity holding down a job!
Apparently Kate’s job was being William’s doormat until he decided to put a ring on it.
Beatrice is not a working royal and is not required/allowed to do royal engagements. Any charity work she does, she does on personal time.
That’s what I figured, but I wasn’t sure.
It’s worth noting Bea and Eug have both taken on charities they personally invest in. Like the hospital that did Eugenie’s spinal surgery. During those engagements either girl will spend hours being low key and talking business, but also visiting the children. And they not only help with awareness, but also do fundraising. Eugenie/Marathon and Bea/Hat Auction for to name some people might actually remember.
And while they do get some beneifts from being royal their not obligated to do this charity work and much travel and time is from them.
I doubt Beatrice is sending out resumes either lol
Beatrice and Eugenie got booted off the royal payroll by Charles a couple years ago. They lost their rent free digs and their bodyguards. Any money she gets comes from her Dad and his sketchy connections.
Beatrice and Eugenie have never been on the royal payroll. They don’t have rent free digs, their father pays the rent. They lost their taxpayer-funded body guards a couple of years ago and most now seem to guard Kate Middleton (she required 9 RPOs to attend her cousin’s wedding last year). Beatrice’s money comes from a trust fund from her great grandmother.
Nobody does less than Parasite Kate.
Nobody.
I am very fortunate that my parents paid for my education. After that, I was expected to earn my own way. I made $10,500 on my first job, and sometimes I had to stretch four dollars for a week because I overspent. My parents could have afforded to support or subsidize me, but I’m glad they didn’t. I learned a lot by the experience, and I grew up a lot in those years. I think these royals are taking too long to grow up. She’s 26. She should be supporting herself, even if it means she can’t go on so many vacations.
Yes.
I remember when the ATM would give out 5’s, which was all I had until next pay.
You learn a lot about patience, when you pay your own way.
Come on, GoodNames. Everyone knows that Britain does not offer finance classes of any sort!
Sounds very similar to my post-college days. I’ve told my sons that sometimes the second week after my paycheck the only thing I’d have money for was bus fare to and from work. Until the next paycheck when I’d buy groceries. I’d go out with my roommate maybe once a month and we’d limit ourselves to two drinks since that’s all we could afford. And my mom scared the beejeesus out of me regarding credit card debt so I never dared to go there.
Living like that does set good habits…even after earning more money I’ve never gone wild.
My roommate and I shared a street vendor hamburger once because we couldn’t afford one each, and he asked if we wanted lettuce on it. She still says I yelped”yes! If it’s free!”
She has a trust fund. Would you attack ArtHistorian for going back to school? If not, then why attack another private citizen for seeking more education in a field that interests her?
First of all, I’m not “attacking” her. There’s no need to be hysterical. And, no, of course if someone chooses to go back to school for whatever reason, I’m all for it. Where did I say she shouldn’t go back to school? Did you read my post? I simply stated that I think it’s beneficial to a young person to support themselves by age 26. If she’s living off of a trust fund, I presume that money originally came from the British public. That makes her status as a “private citizen” questionable, but in either event, I think earning your own way is good for you. That’s all.
Not being hysterical. “I think these royals are taking too long to grow up. She’s 26. She should be supporting herself, even if it means she can’t go on so many vacations. ” She has a trust fund, she is supporting herself. Not earning her way, but none of them do, not even Linley or Lady Sarah Chatto. They all have trust funds backing them up.
I read it as, she’s not doing what you think she should be doing at age 26. She’s famous but a private citizen, so what she does really isn’t our business. But I’m still here commenting on her anyway…
I feel like American kids take too long to grow up too! I know many 26 year olds that are still trying to find themselves or whatever. It’s crazy! Not to pull the Old Coot card, but really by 26, my husband and had owned a house for two years and been in the same jobs since graduating college at 22.
Notsugarhere, I can’t seem to make you understand my point, so I’m not going to try anymore. I think it’s interesting that you consider a trust fund to be “supporting yourself.” Where do you think the money in the trust fund came from? Anyway, I think she’s a nice girl and I’m sorry that you insist on putting such a negative spin on my thoughts.
GNAT, I said they all have trust funds, not that that they’re earning their way. But that counts “supporting herself” or “self-supporting” – it is her money and she’s paying her way with her money. I agree, people should seek education at any time in their lives and that it is a good thing. And none of these folks are ever going to walk away from every penny of a trust fund and truly “support themselves” so it seems moot to argue whether or not they should.
I figure she’s living the way aristocrats do. Or Pippa does.
I assume rich people in America live the same way — i.e Caroline Kennedy’s kids. It’s not really clear to me what exactly the two older girls or Caroline Kennedy’s husband do either, but I’m not particularly surprised that privileged people live completely different from the rest of us (i.e. have a trust fund or a rich spouse to keep them going).
I wouldn’t think regular middle class people would waste time finding themselves, but in today’s economy that might be what people are forced to do since jobs seem scarce in most industries and a skill set related to computers is required even if you enter into a humanities-related job. The world economy today is way different from even 30 years ago.
Ah yes. The good old days. Laundry done in the tub because I spent the roll of quarters on beer and cigs. A 10 lb bag of potatoes and oatmeal was lunch and dinner for a week while I waited for pay day. But I paid my own rent and made my own way.
GNAT
Agree. My husband and I also refused help from family and we’re better for it. Things got scary, we lived in hell holes, but we made it and wouldn’t trade those experiences. Not everyone needs those though. And those experiences might not help some like they helped me or you.
If this pans out into something for Bea then fine. She’s always followed Finance of some sort and doesn’t her boyfriend do something in that field as well?
It’s examples like William I will shake my head over. 28 is my cut off for sympathy.
Anyone do the peanutbutter and ramen diet? Not together though!
Yes, I hear you. Apparently I came across as more judgmental than I intended. I think I grew up very privileged, certainly not to the same extent as Beatrice, but never having to go without or worry about money, and with parents who loved me and frankly spoiled me a little. So it was good for me not to be able to take things for granted and to have to use my imagination when I blew it and had no money left, and had to suffer the consequences. Also, it gave me a lot of satisfaction when I slowly got it together and learned habits that have stayed with me since. But you’re right – we’re not all the same and perhaps it’s unrealistic to expect someone in her position to have to make it on their own.
Ramen with frozen carrots, to pretend there was anything healthy on the plate.
And GNAT, I do see the point. Many people might be better off if they had to stand on their own two feet. Others are good, charitable people even when they’re born into money. It depends on the person.
FLORC- when you said ” peanut butter & ramen diet” I threw up in my mouth a little. You said “not together though”. But my husband did back in day- he would heat it up & say “what’s the difference between this & peanut sauce?!” Gross is what I’d say! My husband is stubborn & went to “Labor Ready” after getting laid off at 20 rather then ask him parents for money. I am proud, to this day, of what we built together.
Peanut butter and Ramen don’t go together? That’s what I called pad thai when pay day was far away 🙂
Haha Gross! Peanut sauce on those noodles would look terrible and I think the texture would be awful.
Some people don’t need that experience to appreciate what they have. I don’t believe my husband and I did either, but we better appreciate what we have. We sit in our house and to this day talk about what a wonderful experience our slum apartment was. Still though, it’s a way to know what you’re like under pressure.
Hey!! We make peanut sauce as a dish in Africa. And when I’m exceptionally lazy I make it from peanut butter. Made right, it’s delicious.
I wasn’t supporting myself by 26 & I still have troubles now at 43, lol.
Well, who was supporting you? The hard-working taxpayer, dearie?
Nothing seems to get people as fired up on here as the royals! I also appreciated my experiences in college- my dad paid my tuition, books & rent but nothing else (blessed to have that!). I had to work & budget for food, clothes, utilities, beer & joints. I remember Ramen one day w/ water, the next day dry w/ egg, the next day w/ veggies- just to spice it up. But I don’t think the royals are “common folk” the same way I don’t look to Smith kids as giving realistic advice or input on “growing up”. I don’t ever expect a royal to eat Ramen or work at a coffee shop. I totally get your point GNAT for the general public- I don’t let my boys (8 & 4) eat Ramen cuz it’s not good for their bodies but at 18-22 it might be good for their souls!
Ha! Agree about the Ramen completely!
I’m glad it’s only your children who will pay for your spoiled, entitled atttitude – it’s too bad your Dad handed you everything and all you did was waste what you were handed. I see that the pot and beer helped you – NOT.
I stated my feelings on the previous post but in her defense she really isn’t expected to do any–they are all voluntary. You can argue about her living in the palaces but she gets no money from the Civil List and lost her royal protection years ago as part of the royal downsizing. I’m not sure which 2 palaces she lives in but they may be ones that get no public funding. Most are run through the historic Royal houses foundation or the Royal collection. You can look at the 2 sites websites for their funding status.
But her dad gets money from the civil list, no? Surely she’s not jetting around the world with the funds from her £20,000 salary? So, though not directly, she *is* being funded by taxpayers. That’s what people are griping about.
She has a trust fund. As do all the royal grandkids. In this case augmented by her father’s money.
Are we really going to quibble about the grandkids’ trustfunds? You might as well quibble about all the royal grandkids (and I include William and Harry). They are all augmented by their parents – even Zara and Peter all live on their mother’s estate.
Do you have any idea how much her trust fund could be worth? With all of her vacations, is it something that will last her the rest of her life or could it quickly run out?
Littlestar: whatever the size of her trustfund, she’s a blood royal in the upper echelons of the royal family which is privately very wealthy even if we were to remove the tax payer part of it.
That means they’ll never let her run out of money. You only have to look at the lesser royals to see that. Heck, her own mother who was admittedly bankrupt a few times has never truly been allowed to run out of money. Yes she was embarrassed, but her version of bankrupt is the same as Donald trump’s version of bankrupt.
LAK did you ever watch As Time Goes By with Dame Judi Dench? What you wrote about Sarah F reminds me of a storyline involving Alastair Deacon.
And I still think Dave Clark is hinky. He goes on every vacation and holds down a job? But then it’s with Richard Branson and he loves his Royal connections so perhaps he’s a very lenient boss.
Beatrice and her sister and not working Royals. This means they don’t represent The Queen or RF in any public capacity, unlike William, Kate, Harry and the rest of HM’s children and spouses. Whatever charity work she does, is private work and will not appear in the Court Circular.
That’s why Kate IS the least active member. She HAS to work and start taking on more public duties because most of the hardest working members of that family are past the age of retirement.
I feel the York sisters can never win. They were given the titles in their right as daughters of a Prince but they’re kept from representing the Family. Add to that living with their parents’ behaviour and actions.
I find William’s lack of drive and responsabilities even worse. He will be King and he does less than the minimum.
Agree – I think that if they were brought into the loop they would/could do a good job, they’ve always had a willingness to get involved. The fact they haven’t is down to Chuck.
I like the York sisters – thou they get a lot of stick because of their parents and all things considered they have turned out well. I wish the British press would leave them alone but it would seem that PW has learned from his father and they are being thrown under the bus to made him and his work shy ways/wife look better.
Yeah there’s no fun on hating on these girls. Their status is so bizarre.
Nothing about their status should be bizzare or put into question. As grandaughters of the Sovereign through the male-line their titles are their right. Same with Edward’s children. The only ones who lost out were Anne’s children, whom IMO use their royal connections even though they’re not “royal”.
The reason they get so much shade from the press is due to their parents. If Fergie had shown more decorum and if Andrew didn’t run head-first into strange situations, then the girls would have been left alone. The press needs to villify someone and it will never be the Heir and his family. Because Charles will be King and William POW.
The only reason Charles got so much sh!t was because of Diana. She was untouchable for a long time. When Kate was the GF, the Daily Fail would go after her (and her family) all the time. They coined the term Waity Kaity. The moment she became the fiancée, everything changed. She was photographed almost naked and the press defended her and refused to print the photographs. Harry is caught in a similar situation and everyone bought the photographs. Even within the Heir’s family, the next heir in protected in expense of the other children.
I’m sure Anne’s and Edward’s children (his children are legally Princess/Prince although known with other lesser titles) are the ones who got the better end of the deal.
Yes, they’re the “real” princesses, but they not as glamorous as Zara Philips, not as pampered as Kate, and not as free as their aristocratic friends. It’s a weird dynamic and I sort of feel bad for them.
BettyRose it seems like they just can’t win.
I thought Princess Anne “chose” not to give her children titles, they were still entitled to have some titles.
Zara does shed loads for Britain #respect earned.
@’P’enny – They were entitled to their father’s title, and he declined one. Therefore they are Mister & Miss.
But they’re still very privileged as HM’s grandchildren and children of the Princess Royal. They have that connection to profit from, and they do (much to their own merit, too).
I’m giving up on one argument with these two, but I will not EVER feel sorry for them because they’re Princesses with nothing to do. Beatrice technically does not totally support herself either, as daddy pays subsidized rent for her apartment at St. James Palace. Apparently her trust fund isn’t big enough to pay £1700 a month rent per month. For an apt in central London.
Their “friend” was a bit hyperbolic too. Treated like Henry VIII treated the Yorks? Hardly. Henry VIII persecution was real. That comment was beyond the pale.
For all we know, that was one of Jason’s hacks not one of her friends. I mean, one of her friends would have known she was headed to this finance course, right? But Jason wouldn’t have known.
I doubt one of Jason’s hacks would have defended her so vigorously, as that quote came from the rebuttal DM article about her vacations, and was aimed at the horrible people questioning her and her holidaying habits. It sounded more like one of daddy’s hacks to me.
Bluhare – ITA but most of us compare ourselves to our surroundings not to those with less than us, and as people in their world go, they don’t seem to have it all.
@Cee – concerning something you mentioned in your comment, and this is not against you.
IMO it should be illegal to publish naked or almost naked photos of someone, anyone, royal or not, public figure or not, without their consent. It’s a question of dignity. Period.
@Pumpkin Pie – ITA. Which is why I thought it was unfair of them to publish Harry’s photos instead of extendig the same courtesy they had with Kate. Nobody cared about the woman in Harry’s photo (unless she is the one who sold the photos, in which case good riddance).
While I think a 26 year old should be supporting herself for the most part, I certainly agree that William is much, much worse. He is older, is a much higher position and can’t seem to focus on his responsibilities at all.
Thank you, Cee. I think you said all of that beautifully.
she’s an aristocrat with responsibilities, born of ‘privilege’ with a trust fund from royal coffers. With the title HRH Princess she has a responsibility whether she is getting paid or not.
We don’t have a proper democratic government in UK, while the rest of House of Lords can be born into power, of some variant and grading, if you born with a title into peers and privilege you have a responsibility to work for your plebs, peasants and farmers. That title is meant to mean something. Lady, Lord, Princess, or King it represents something to us peasants. [supposedly]
She has to get off her butt, and show some responsibly that being part of a the Royal Family, [civil list wages or not ] means something to the UK, or drop your title, give Queen Mothers trust fund back to the tax payer whence it came.
But if she’s pushed out from doing any work, what is she supposed to do? This is why I think all of them, except William and Harry, are in sh!tty situations. Let her walk away and go into finance or whatever she wants to do, at least she is trying. I’m sure she’ll marry someone rich enough to fund her forever.
And you’re not a pleb. Most aristocrats do absolutely nothing because they have money to fund themselves but that doesn’t mean sh!t. And she can’t drop her title because it’s legally hers. That would be like giving up the citizenship you’re born with (I know some countries allow this, but most don’t). She could cease to use it publicly, though, and go with Beatrice of York, like the Greek children do. I believe this would make her life much easier.
I don’t believe she is pushed out, she is pushed out from the civil list, you don’t need to be a royal to the best for your country. in fact we all have that responsibility in a way. Aristocrats do absolutely nothing? I totally agree which is why the House of Lords should be disbanded, pronto.
Guys
The Civil List is the Sovereign Grant.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/Royalfinances/Sourcesoffunding/TheSovereignGrant.aspx
And how finances are dealt with is very interesting. Seems like it leaves a lot of wiggle room in some cases.
@ P’enny – “you don’t need to be a royal to the best for your country.” ITA!!!
Everyone should try to do something good and positive for their country, regardless their social and economic status.
And some aristocrats might do something productive. I didn’t intend to generalise. But I suppose being Royal bears more responsability, in a social and moral way, than being an aristo with a signet ring a la Middleton.
@FLORC – I believe the York, Philips and Wessex children are partly funded through their parents and their status as working Royals. Just like the Cambridges and Harry are funded through the Duchy of Cornwall (I believe the Duchy is partly funded, but I could be wrong).
But all of the greatgrandchildren, except the Wessex children, were given money by The Queen Mother.
@Care: the York girls may be low-key (at least as the royal families go) but there’s no way those two would give up their titles.
Cee
Not completely sure, but I think the Dutchy supports itself.
Billy Middleton is not fit for anything – something sick about the boy, using his own mother’s death to get out of giving a damn. Another spoiled, entitled pr$ck.
Oh nothing fishy about it – just the York girls acknowledging that their Papa lost the battle after the Big Wedding to push them forward as first-rank royals before Charles inherits and pushes them out fast. It became abundantly clear that the long game was going to Kate and Wills and their children and then to Harry and [fill in the blank] and his eventual children. So the Yorks are wisely accepting the inevitable, and moving themselves somewhere where their economic and social privileges will cushion them, but out of sight of the people actually paying for those privileges. After all, look how much New York did for their Mum. How DOES she pay for those clothes and that lovely apartment, btw?
YES,
Did anyone (such as, for example, you, Sixer) see those lengthy multi-part BIs on CDaN Enty is posting about celebrity sex brokers? If not, I refer you enthusiastically to Part 1, which makes alleged (she said carefully) but easily decodable reference to relations of current and past royals?
@notasugarhere – gracious, draw it mild! I’m not “against” them although I don’t particularly admire them. I don’t particularly admire Kate, either. I was stating what I thought to be obvious: their father tried to make them into more than private citizens with titles at the 11th hour and failed, so now they really are. If he’d succeeded, they would be on the royal gravy t rain. Point taken about the Queen Mother (whom I DID admire), who must have left all the descendants something.
Yes!
Some of the people commenting above need to educate themselves before talking smack. She cannot work for the royal family as Kate does, The Queen and Charles have been and are actively downsizing the working family members. She has a rich boyfriend and some private money, who cares what she does with her time, she is a private citizen who happens to have a title. There are many others.
But that adaptation to “private citizen” came AFTER her Papa tried to push them forward as working royals as soon as Wills and Kate got married. Her “private” money comes from . . . where? Her mother had none. The Queen hasn’t died yet and left all the grandchildren their portions. Andrew is probably funneling his daughters funds from his portion of the Civil List. How much can it be? Is she rich enough not to have to work? Yes, someone has seen to that. Did Andrew try to get them onto the royal gravy train and fail? Yes – as he knew very well that once Charles starts trimming the tree, it will be mostly his descendants who are left with the goods. And the status.
It came from the Queen Mother. It isn’t her fault her father is an idiot and she cannot give up the title, someone else has to remove it. Both Eugenie and Beatrice are trying to make their way as private citizens, in spite of the titles their father saddled them with.
If Lady Louise and Viscount Severn don’t step up and do charity work when they’re older, will you be against them too?
” If Lady Louise and Viscount Severn don’t step up and do charity work when they’re older, will you be against them too? ”
yes, if they continue to profit financially and powerfully from their titles and any inheritance descended from tax payers coffers.
These titles as part of House of Windsor that means something, they have a duty to county of Wessex, if any land rents or county tax ends up in there pockets because of their titles and inheritance they have a duty to work for it, someway or other.
There is no county of “Wessex.” There was once a kingdom of Wessex, and it is a colloquial term sometimes used to refer to a set of counties. It isn’t a long-standing title that belongs to the house of Windsor. Edward picked the title because he like the name from the movie Shakespeare in Love.
Do Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, and Lady Helen Taylor for that matter, all fail in your eyes?
LOL. Education never stopped anyone from talking smack around here.
i know there is no county of Wessex, [i was unclear there, soz] but it still referred to in occasion by people who live in that area. Like Wessex police [sorry, I’ve seen Broadchurch :-p]
only ones that fail are the ones that don’t show any humility or dedication to their born to entitlement and don’t swanny around with no work ethic. Princess Margaret was a lazy socialite as well, deserved a slap, at least her children have a more grown up approach. Lady Sarah, is a brilliant artist, i believe, and her brother is a furniture designer, and are promoting britain at least! not working for a japanese co, or studying in America, when they have the LSE on her doorstep.
As far as I know, the only two royal dukes (or earls) who get income from their Duchies are the Queen (Duchy of Lancaster) and Charles (Duchy of Cornwall).
Linley and Lady Sarah also benefit from trust funds, which help to subsidize them when the art doesn’t sell. He certainly didn’t purchase the french estate off of income from making furniture.
there you go, two more royals who should do more.
None of this matters–she is not a paid working member of the Royal Family. She is not work shy–Uncle Charles won’t give her a job in the firm.
I’m confused about the York girls and don’t think they are entirely to blame. I thought the girls (and Andy) lobbied hard for more royal work but were turned down by Charles’ whole skinnying down the monarchy campaign. So why is everyone on them to do more? She’s young, she’s a princess, she has a rich boyfriend. Let her take her vacations (although six might be a tad excessive). If this is coming from William’s camp it seems a bit unfair because she’s damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t. But either give her more responsibility or leave her alone.
Charles will come to regret his plan unless Harry marries someone with a work ethic. William and Kate are the laziest members of that Family and to think THEY will lead the way makes me laugh.
If Harry marries someone with a work ethic, well, I doubt Bill and Kate would care. Jason the PR hack would, but not the lazy duo. They don’t want to do the royal work, so why not make dutiful Harry and his wife pick up the slack?
@notasugarhere – I’m afraid it could become a PR-mess, especially if Kate and Harry’s wife are compared (which will happen). If Harry’s Wife outshines Kate with work and public image, Jason the PR Guy will have to put in extra hours and Harry will be thrown under the bus.
For all of his commitment to the Firm, Harry still seems to follow his mother’s instructions to support his brother. Harry could do more royal engagements, plus his full-time job, and his charity work – but he doesn’t. I think he deliberately holds himself back so he doesn’t make his brother look even worse.
I think Charles is right to reduce the number of working royals. As long as someone is sitting on the throne the monarchy retains its tourist value without the expense of having to maintain so many households and the attendant staff and security.
It sucks for the Yorks, but reducing overhead on The Firm is probably a good idea.
Cee/Nota
It will be William that gets upset if Harry is the favorite and even the papers won’t cover William as the golden child. And It will be Harry’s wife that takes the fall for Kate’s image should Harry and his wife as a couple or just his wife be seen as a stronger more loving husband and wife.
Megan
We agree. The number should be reduced. Though, I don’t think the cost that comes with keeping someone on the throne and all the bills that comes with is taken care of by tourists that come because there is an active monarchy. You could out that part and there would be no change in tourist. You’d also be able to open up more of the buildings for renting or exhibits bringing in greater revenue.
Having a sitting monarch doesn’t really matter when you pound to pound the cost and gains.
Charles has the right idea here. The trouble is those he’s keeping as a type of skeleton crew of working royals will have to be workhorses and so far that simply isn’t the case. There would be far more attention to event tallies and money spent.
If Charles chose some royals to be the workers that would make sense. That his eldest has yet to embrace his role and his wife has yet to embrace hers adds to the argument he’s playing favorites and freezing out Andrew because he was their mothers favorite.
@FLORC – Yes, I agree. Harry’s wife will need a backbone made of iron because she will be brought down to make Kate “better”.
William is such a tool.
FLORC – suggesting the monarchy does not drive tourist dollars is a staunch refusal to believe the facts. Are you entitled to your opinion? Sure, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
We have had the tourism discussion multiple times, Megan, as you well know. The Top 20 Tourist attractions in the UK are not related to royalty, and France does just fine tourism-wise without a monarchy.
A simple Google search will turn up many official reports and articles from reputable news outlets. They attract tourist dollars. Period.
I think the historical monarchy attracts tourist money; not so sure about the current ones.
@FLORC: I disagree that Charlie is freezing out Andrew just because of jealousy. While know that Charles has a delicate ego, Andrew is also a nasty piece of work and has been for a very, very long time. As much as I think it may stinkfor the York girls to reap tthe consequence of their parents’ actions, that consideration never stopped Andrew.
Did your simple google searches turn up the reports from places like VisitEngland the official tourism agency? Go look at the list of Top 20 sites visited annually, then and come back and tell me Bill and Kate Middleton have anything to do with it.
If you are wondering about the value of living royals, the queen jubilee was an economic boon to London, bringing nearly $190,000,000 in tourist dollars.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-queens-diamond-jubilee-weekend-brings-120-million-cash-boost-to-london-7819722.html
And the jubilee celebrations cost between £1.2 and £3.6 billion, which doesn’t exactly balance out whatever temporary boost they might have brought.
@nota, I’d heard the jubilee went way over budget, but can’t remember by how much. As far as total cost, I can’t vouch for the source, but this article says it was 3 billion, which is close to your figure. On a side note, the comments are interesting. http://www.theopinionsite.org/queens-jubilee-costs-3-billion-while-poorest-families-starve/
Megan
A while back we did discuss this. Someone broke down with supporting articles what areas (museums, buildins, landmarks) brought in what amount. Also what amount gets spent for maintenance. The Queen and things related to W or K did not bank much.
And another point was world wide what royal related noun of your choosing without active monarchs brought in. Any 1 of them brought in a consistent average that was greater than the year the Cambridges got married.
The cost of keeping the royals just doesn’t balance out to what they bring in as a result of them being part of an active monarchy.
It is so tough to find accurate data on those numbers too. Much is hidden and difficult to locate.
Exactly.
People would keep visiting Buckingham Palace without or without the monarchy, just like there are lines out the gates to go to Versailles each day. It’s not like we’re all coming over to England because we want our picture taken with William a la Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.
Exactly. In fact, without those pesky royals living in the palaces there would be more access for public tours and event space. How much would you pay for a tour of Kate’s much discussed kitchens? Or a peek inside PG’s first nursery? Or to host a corporate cocktail party in the chambers where QE would take her daily tipple? Sorry if this sounds shockingly mercenary.
Well I’m not surprised.
When she applies her makeup she should really pretend that her lower lid and lashes don’t even exist. They are not to be highlighted at all. I would love to see how she would look with liner, shadow and mascara on her upper eyelid only, and little to no lip color, and highlighted cheeks. I bet that would highlight her pretty big eyes without the bug-eyed look that she currently creates.
That’s all I got for ya, princess.
I feel like I never see the poor thing with her mouth shut. It’s not her fault but it makes her look kind of idiotic.
Is it an online course?
I was wondering why they didn’t specify where she would attend. I can see not wanting to advertise the exact school (although didn’t they do that for Will?), but at least say which city. It’s too vague for my liking. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of places to study finance in the U.S. They’re not all the same, of course, and some are better than others, but you can find a school to your liking just about anywhere.
I didn’t read “bespoke” so we’re good so far.
Baby steps!
I’m betting it’s Gatlin where you can do your own thing at your own pace I believe.
She could be going to a university on the quarter or trimester system. I went to a school like that and we had terms that started in August, November, and March.
Yes or she could be taking a non-credit class at a university, where the schedules for those courses don’t necessarily sync up with the for-credit classes.
Investments houses have an intensive training course that new recruits must attend. They usually last 8 – 10 weeks, so it is possible she is attending one of those. If that is the case, perhaps she has accepted a job with an investment firm.
Man, this girl is always interning or has done more entry-level jobs… she never bothers to stay and move up?
finance course = shopping
I don’t begrudge her – wouldn’t everyone love to go on all those fabulous vacations? Next life!
Why does she always photograph… that way? Her, her sister, her mom – they’ve got the least photogenic eyes I’ve ever seen.
Short courses can start in March. They only run like 8 weeks.
And I’m pretty sure a few years ago it was all over the press that they pay rent on her apartment. Noting massive but it’s not free.
You’re right that was covered. Same apartment?
Beatrice is not a working royal and is not required to do any engagements, just like Zara and Peter. Any charity work she did, she did on her personal time. She worked in finance before, now she’s learning more about finance. Seems pretty normal to me.
Meanwhile, Kensington Palace has announced that William has finally almost passed his flight exams and he’s going to get to work real soon. Months late. And after paternity leave no doubt.
I wonder if reporters will track how often William travels to work? They’d have to track him in sets of three’s – one at Anmer, one at each of the two airports. William leaves Anmer, but does he ever show up “at work”? A lot harder to hide his workshy ways outside of Wales.
The press will not go after him. Something massive needs to happen for the tide to turn.
Yes, but Zara and Peter don’t carry titles. Beatrice and Eugenie do, they are HRHs. Peter and Zara are NOT royal in any practical sense and that’s why Anne refused the titles. Andrew’s children have the name without the game.
And that is Andrew’s fault, not theirs. They cannot remove those titles themselves. They’re trying to get on with their lives, like Peter and Zara before them.
Anne didn’t refuse titles for her kids. As a female she can’t pass on any titles. Her kids’ father could have accepted a title that could be passed on like Margaret’s husband did, but he refused, so blame, for want of a better word, should be laid at his feet not Anne.
And if you think Anne doesn’t care about status, you’d be wrong. She, together with Alexandra, threw a hissyfit at having to curtsey to Camilla which led to the infamous change in the rules of precident where Princes of the blood are ranked higher than inlaws unless said inlaw is accompanied by a royal hubby with higher status than the Princes.
This particular kerfuffle is often overlooked in the rush to point to Anne’s assumed dismissal of royal status.
LAK
I wonder if the hissy fts were just well placed point of seniority. Status doesn’t matter until it can be used to get me out of things I think are below me. That hissy fit seemed justified from a woman like Anne.
And honestly can anyone here say they wouldn’t do the same as Anne? I would and to a lesser degree have. I haven’t worked hard to be overlooked by someone who feels entitled to praise by marriage and nothing else.
Ugh family dynamics and inlaws. The pits guys. Just the pits.
If I remember correctly Anne didn’t want to curtsy to Diana either.
I think the seeds of that hissy fit can be found in the person of Andrew Parker Bowles and their mutually shared history.
Since when does B have 2 royal apartments? Apart from SJP, where is the other one? Plus she (or Andrew) pay market value (probably with royal discount) rent on it.
It’s really ridiculous to go after her when she’s not a working member of the royal family and by that I mean someone who is required to work for the firm.
Any bodyguards she has are privately paid for and not taxpayer funded.
Any charity work is always on her own dime and time so if she only managed 10 visits, at least she went because she wanted to attend and not because she was called in and had to attend to keep her perks.
She has a “suite” at her father’s house.
A ‘suite’ is not an apartment. If it were, we’d be counting CH in the list of homes owned by William and Harry since they have a suite there too.
Thank you!!! Comparing her to Kate is comparing apples to oranges in terms of their royal obligations!
LAK
Well put.
I’ve always wondered why Charles took cutting back the number of working Royals quite so far. His generation won’t last forever and neither of his kids is going to have a huge group of children. Part of why people support the Royal family is they see them out and about at various functions. Fewer Royals means fewer functions and it seems that it could threaten the public support for them fairly quickly. Seems short-sighted.
As for Beatrice, she’s her mother.
I agree that Charles’s strategy is soooo short sighted. It’s weird that he can’t see it either because he’s stupid if he thinks W&K will magically step up their act once QEII dies and they become P&P of Wales.
What do you mean Bea is her mother? In looks or personality? In looks, I think she actually looks a lot like Queen Victoria. I’d disagree she is like her in personality either.
Oh wow, you are SO right! Never thought about it before, but she does heavily favor Queen Victoria.
Bea is not her mother. There’s a mountain and a lifetime lived that shows for all their faults F and A raised 2 daughters that turned out next to nothing like them. Yet people love to make them pay for the sins of their parents.
I wonder how much was parenting and how much was learning from the lessons (public downfalls) of their parents.
Interesting question Nota
They might have been great parents. Just terrible at parenting themselves.
I say an interview where Bea was speaking at a hospital charity visit. Fergie was with her. As Bea spoke Fergie looked at her so proudly.
Kaiser, I think you’re probably way off on your 10 charity engagements number. It may have been 10 official, royally-sanctioned (and therefore counts in the court circular), but I’m pretty sure she did way more than that in her private time. The ones she does on her own don’t get counted in the court circular and therefore it looks like she is doing much less. This is the same for Harry. He did a ton of stuff last year that didn’t get counted and therefore throws off his “official” numbers.
Wasn’t last year the year she and Eug were driving all over Europe promoting Britishness/British things? That had to be more than 10 engagements right there! Kate, OTOH gets to go to private, secret meetings and those count as official engagements…but when Bea opens a school or something…not counted. That’s not really fair.
This is why I think Bea is screwed – she seems to want to do so much more for the firm and be a FT royal, but they don’t want her to and then she gets screwed because her engagements don’t officially count and then it looks like she isn’t doing as much as she is.
Just my .02 anyway…
None of Beatrice’s charity work counts as official royal engagements, because she is not an official working royal. She isn’t allowed to be and therefore doesn’t show up in the Court Circular.
Good for Bea! She’s getting additional certification in her chosen field. At least, she’s had a job. Several, in fact, which is far more than Kate. There’s no comparison as far as her charity work. Beatrice does her work without the press splashing every visit on the front page. She’s done more than 10 and you never hear any gripes from people about her willingness to lend her name to her causes.
As has been stated repeatedly, Charles doesn’t want the York sisters to work for the Firm, so they don’t, unless specifically asked by their granny. Kate’s laziness is on her and William and Charles for not forcing those two to do more for the money they are freely given.
“Certification”?
There is no information what kind of “certified course” she does. Could be a course to help you manage your household money for people who have trouble with this.
And by “study finance” what we really mean is find a rich, well connected Husband.
She has a handsome boyfriend she’s been dating for years. He comes from a family of modest wealth.
Pandy (below)
This comment is for you too.
And on a side note women continue their education and get educations to begin with for reasons other than to land a rich husband. Some go to Universities for the degree in MRS, but others actually go for a future career.
The U.S. wouldn’t be her best bet for securing a titled husband, so that’s probably not the goal. But if one can easily afford tuition, graduate study is a respectable lifestyle offering lots of vacation time, so why not?
Let’s face it – her real job is to bag a rich husband.
On a previous post about her, I listed why I don’t hold her as accountable as I do W&K. Basically, she’s not wanted by Charles to do Royal work. She’s not paid to do it and she doesn’t get the benefits like W&K does.
If Charles wanted her on the civil list/Sovereign Grant salary, give her back her Royal security guards, have his PR team publicize her charitable works, and bring her into the fold instead of cutting her and her sister out of the streamlining he’s doing in exchange for her to do Royal work, then that’s on him. Otherwise, whatever B&E do in their down time in the way of charity work is their own personal choice, imo.
And I know that the sisters do get taxpayer money in a way and should do charity work but as ruthless as Charles is when it comes to publicity and image (see that new BBC documentary) and the same way William is (since I believe he throws his brother under the bus from time to time when Harry gets to look too good and better than William), I can see how B&E are up against some powerful family members and their respective PR teams, all of whom don’t want B&E to get much good press.
I have a feeling that Andrew would want his daughters to get more attention doing charitable work, especially with all the scandals he and Fergie get into.
But whatever. I hope B&E become more productive in their own ways whether that be in careers or charity work. I think it’s good that they’ve both moved to the US and away from the UK. Uncle Charles, William, Andrew, and Fergie all seem to go against their (B&E’s) best interests in the UK, imo.
I think that B and E are willing to work for the firm but Charles is too put off by the scandals that inevitably follow Andrew and Fergie to take the chance on them. The best thing B & E could do is find some work that pays them something reasonable to supplement what Andrew gives them but is also socially conscious, a la Amal Clooney.
@ someone –
I think you’re right. That would be the best solution for them. Find a good career that helps people.
Zara and Peter aren’t required to help people in their careers, so why should B&E be required to? Whatever it is, they have to end up in apolitical careers not something like law.
I wouldn’t call a job with a £20,000-a-year salary a “fancy job.”
Yeah, I was surprised by how low the salary seemed to be, since she seems to work in finance or something related to that. I thought that was where the money was supposed to be!
None of the royals do more than dress, with the help of valet or ladies maid, get driven to an event by a driver, show up and chat, then get driven home. Oh, I am exhausted just thinking about it. No wonder the British taxpayers jump on the “work shy” and that is a nice way of putting it.
BeckyR
That’s not true. There is impact done directly by the members of the BRF. Some good too.
Your comment omits nearly everything. Including what happens at some of those events.
I used to work for a major film studio in LA, so maybe London is a bit different, but I highly doubt it.
What bothers me is: A) we were told she was an intern; B) interns are not in the mid-twenties unless they are getting an MBA or Masters Degree ; and C) she was called a Coordinating Producer. No wayyyyyyyyy is anyone given a coordinator title straight out of school! Everyone begins in the mail room or as a PA on a set or as an assistant at a studio or for an agent. If you are an assistant at a studio, as I was, you would spend anywhere from 2-5 years as one before anyone would give you a coordinator title. Everyone follows this protocol, including all the Chairmans of these studios. Everyone.
So how Beatrice leap frogged into that coordinator role bugs the crap out of me, obviously she was given it, and then to throw it all away and now lark about to NY for a finance class? No one from Sony would tell us what she actually did there, because just like me, I never sold a story about anyone. You never want it traced to you when you are on a weekly payroll, versus lots of gossip comes via on set because once a shoot wraps, and everyone is paid there are no repercussions. But still am hoping at some point, someone will tell use what exactly Beatrice did at Sony, did she work full days, full weeks?
I doubt that Beatrice did do any work at all at Sony. So they could have given her any title. If she doesn’t do any work she can’t do any harm. There have never been ANY description of the things she allegedly did. Did she help coordinate press promoting dates and times? Did she do anything at all? We don’t know …
See, if Beatrice would have done any work then there would have been descriptions of that. General descriptions like “helped coordinate” or “prepared meetings for…” or “did the research on …”. There were no descriptions at all. That is why I doubt that she did any work at all.
Meanwhile, William goes on a 6 day visit to countries in Asia, and doesn’t even prep enough to learn how to use chopsticks beforehand?
That was embarrassing! My 5 year old sister knows how to use chopsticks. Don’t they have a protocol official like the WH does to school them? And even if he doesn’t, all he had to do was get a pair and practice. Ridiculous gaffe.
Embarrassing indeed.
Honestly he could have practiced the evening before with two pens or pencils.
Or is this some way of showing that “he as an aristocrat has never had chinese take away food” and that “he as an aristocrat has never eaten noodles out of a plastic or paper box”?
Beatrice and Eugenie don’t seem embarrassing to the Queen like their parents, so I don’t feel the need to judge them that harshly. They seem rather well-adjusted and sane compared to Andrew and Fergie. Sure, they could be doing more, as most people in their position could, but I don’t think we’ve seen upskirt shots of them, or requesting meetings with Barack Obama, only to make insipid conversation. Given their relative youth to William and Kate who are 7 years older, and the fact that they’re lower down the totem pole and not on any kind of official civil list, they seem okay to me. But maybe William and Kate have set the bar so low, the idea of Beatrice holding a job at Sony, even if for only half a year, seems more impressive to me than what I think Kate can actually do. I don’t think Kate could last two weeks in a job.
I hate when royals use this “privately funded” defense for their endless holidays. Even if the holidays are “privately funded” the money is still an opportunity cost against the benefits they receive from taxpayers. Like, if you’re not paying rent, or a mortgage, or anything, then of course you can privately fund your extravagant vacations.
Some business schools (graduate level) here have some (short) programs starting in the middle of the semester. Check out harvard business school website. I think they have a program starting on March 8th.
I’m sorry, I know this is not nice, but I just can’t get past how she looks like Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera.
Hee!