As we’ve discussed, the York princesses are slowly making some moves within the royal family. Both Princess Eugenie and Beatrice went to the royal Easter service in Windsor this year. Princess Beatrice attended a fundraiser for Queen Camilla’s late brother’s charity. Princess Eugenie attended the Buckingham Palace garden party hosted by Prince William and Kate this week, and it was recently announced that she was donating her time as a mentor for the King’s Foundation’s arts project. There’s a lot of energy to bring the York princesses into the royal fold and have them act as backup to the rapidly ageing senior royals. Speaking of, Richard Eden at the Daily Mail basically got confirmation that Eugenie and Beatrice will likely have more to do when Prince William becomes king.
While the Duke and Duchess of York were bequeathed the Queen’s dogs, their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, inherited the monarch’s deep sense of duty. And there is increasing evidence that the sisters are preparing to take on more royal duties.
On Tuesday, Eugenie, 35, joined her cousin, Prince William, at the first garden party of the season that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, hosted at Buckingham Palace. Her appearance came two days after a moving interview was published in the Sunday Telegraph in which she talked about undergoing spinal surgery at the age of 12 – and how it had inspired her to work as patron for the charity Horatio’s Garden, which aims to create a garden in every NHS spinal injury unit.
Eugenie – who has two sons, August and Ernest, with her husband Jack Brooksbank – has worked full-time for the art gallery Hauser & Wirth for ten years. But she has also managed to be patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Teenage Cancer Trust – a position she shares with her elder sister, Beatrice.
Beatrice, 36, who has two daughters, Sienna and Athena, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a is a vice-president at software company Afiniti, as well as being involved in several charities including Outward Bound.
She and Eugenie are non-working members of the Royal Family, who are not funded by the taxpayer. But royal sources tell me that, with a smaller family circle after Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020, that may change in time.
‘Although Prince William still believes in a “slimmed-down monarchy”, he is increasingly aware of the hard work of his extended family,’ a courtier tells me. Indeed, this was the second consecutive year that the heir to the throne has invited his cousins to greet guests with him at a palace garden party. Beatrice had only missed the event to attend the Matrix Awards in New York for women in communications.
During her record-breaking reign, Queen Elizabeth was grateful for the tireless support that she received from her cousins. Just as some of them gave up rewarding careers to join ‘The Firm’ – such as the Duke of Gloucester who left his position at an architectural firm – perhaps Eugenie and Beatrice will eventually become full-time royals when William is King? Personally, I believe that would benefit the monarchy. While there is no question of Prince Andrew returning to public engagements, his daughters have a big role to play.
Something similar happened last year, after William hosted a soggy AF garden party and many of his cousins came out to support him – suddenly, the courtiers were briefing everyone that William will definitely be counting on his cousins’ support when he’s king. It feels like… it’s beginning to dawn on William that it will all be on his shoulders, and his wife refuses to do anything, he chased off his brother and that bright, hot spotlight will not be very comfortable. Beatrice clearly wants more to do. But Eugenie has surprised me lately – she seems more willing to play the royal game.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid and Cover Images.
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- Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi depart an Easter Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, London, England, UK on Sunday 20 April, 2025.,Image: 990294303, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng/Avalon
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- Princess Eugenie departs an Easter Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, London, England, UK on Sunday 20 April, 2025.,Image: 990294338, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng/Avalon
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- Cheltenham, UNITED KINGDOM – Zara and Mike Tindall attend Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival 2025 alongside Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. The royal couples enjoy a day at the prestigious horse racing event. Pictured: Zara Tindall, Princess Eugenie BACKGRID USA 12 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- The Sovereign’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London Featuring: Princess Beatrice (left) and Princess Eugenie Where: London, United Kingdom When: 21 May 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Members of the British Royal Family attend a Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate Featuring: Princess Beatrice Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 25 Dec 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Members of the British Royal Family attend a Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate Featuring: Princess Beatrice Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 25 Dec 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Easter Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel Featuring: Princess Eugenie Royals Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 20 Apr 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Princess Eugenie speaks to young cancer patients during a visit to the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at University College Hospital, London Featuring: Princess Eugenie Where: London, United Kingdom When: 23 Apr 2025 Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Princess Beatrice attends the Elephant Family’s Wonders of the Wild event to celebrate art and conservation at Kew Gardens, London Featuring: Princess Beatrice Where: London, United Kingdom When: 13 May 2025 Credit: Chris Jackson/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales stand at the top of the Garden steps before the start of a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 May 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales (left) and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh stand at the top of the Garden steps before the start of a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 May 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales stand at the top of the Garden steps before the start of a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, London Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 May 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Of course he does because he knows that these girls will really WORK and go out and do all of those pesky and boring royal things that he doesn’t want to do.
Beatrice & Eugenie are potential replacements for Princess Anne when the time arrives.
“Eugenie – who has two sons, August and Ernest, with her husband Jack Brooksbank – has worked full-time for the art gallery Hauser & Wirth for ten years. But she has also managed to be patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Teenage Cancer Trust – a position she shares with her elder sister, Beatrice.”
The work ethic of the York sisters is pretty average to any working professional woman out there who has children and who can also volunteer in their free time. But compared to Lazy, their work ethic is outstanding. Lazy is like a casual, no seasonal, no once a month worker when she should be a full time employee at the firm.
So the only problem I see with this is that people will start asking “Where is Lazy? Why can’t she work and be as visible as the York sisters?”
And Lazy doesn’t like comparisons and scrutiny. She has form in despising the York sisters and throwing them to the wolves.
So with all these stories, does Lazy approve? If not, their idleness will continue and Willy’s dreams of work will remain that.
Just wanted to add that with the Yorks becoming part time working royals, Peggy and the rota now have 4(5) more kids to hide behind with distractions stories. Also the kids are younger and still in the adorable age range 🥹🫠.. WanK has been seething in petty jealousy for years and I imagine the photos of the beautiful little Californian Prince and Princess must torment the hell out of him.
I’d fear for the Yorks’ children in that case. The Lazies will throw them to the wolves to deflect from the capers of the Middleton grandchildren.
My sympathies to the Yorks. They don’t seem to have much of a choice in this matter. Protect their father by working for the crown and sacrificing their children in the process.
A rock and a hard place.
I don’t think there’s any love lost between the Yorks and Lazy. They’ve been on the receiving end of Kate’s arrogance and spitefulness more than once. I think they’ll give her a wide berth if they do get more involved in royal work. Lord knows they both have the smarts and personalities to become valuable members of the team, and show up Kate as the indolent b*tch she is.
I agree, I have never seen what can be described as a nice moment between the York sisters and Kate. They give each other a wide berth.
So much for that “slimmed down” royal family.
If B & E start doing more to rep the crown, I hope the comparisons to lazy are many, loud and fierce. I wonder if the wails think they can use B&E’s kids eventually to give cover to their own.
Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll point out how lazy Kate is, but rather they’ll find ways to throw the york sisters under the bus and drag them to through the tabloids instead. Anything to keep the attention off saint kate
Beatrice and Eugenie will be like Anne and Sophie, quietly doing all of the work. I don’t understand how the rota doesn’t call this out. William and Kate relying on a bunch of retirees while they don’t work should be a shame on all of them, but no, everyone pretends like it isn’t the truth. I get why they all still work for Chuck, I will be shocked if there isn’t a mass retirement when he’s gone.
Beatrice and Eugenie should get everything in writing before they do anything, because it’s not hard to imagine the Wails doing nothing, while the York sisters are turned into globetrotters.
Global statesman, my ass.
I hope that if William brings on his cousins, he’ll fund all the older generation to retire too.
I have no doubt ALL of the cousins would happily be working royals as none of them seem all that successful outside of the bubble. Their jobs have always seemed more like courtesy jobs that garner their employers royal adjacency.
If he gave a shit about the older generation, he’d be taking some of the load off of them now. He’s never going to pay out for them to retire.
These stories about William’ and what he will do as king are so boring and repetitive at a certain point people will just stop caring. There is little interest in the York sisters outside the UK. Does anyone really care whether they are working royals or not?
the rota care because they were eating during the 2017-2020 period & want to get more interest & youth appeal for the monarchy. The geriatric balcony isn’t cutting it .The tabloids need more fodder too & people they have access too. Plus someone needs to do the traditional duties & overseas trips that William & Kate are blatantly not planning to do.
It will be interesting if E&B keep their jobs & do part time duties as I thought that model wasn’t at all permissible…
Somehow the ‘slimmed down monarchy’ hasn’t translated to less funding though 😒
Exactly.
I hope that the York women (they’re not girls anymore, hello!), especially Eugenie as she’s close to Harry, know that this is a poisoned chalice. The more they get anywhere near the Waleses (and future King and Queen) the more they will be positioned to be thrown under the bus any and every time when needed. Do they really want this for them and their families? Haven’t they carved out happy, separate lives? Especially since we KNOW with William no money will be forthcoming…that Sovereign Grant will go to him and his family only, period.
That is a GLORIOUS red gown on Beatrice, one of the best looks I’ve ever seen on her…What event was that from?
I love that gown, too, but the white bag is bothering me.
A saleswoman in a London shop once told my husband, when he was shopping for gifts for me, that “accessories are the key to fashion success!” It’s become an inside joke with us, but it’s also true.
Yas! Beatrice looks great!
@lady Esther it was from the recent gala for the Trunk Trust, an elephant charity founded by Camilla’s late brother Mark.
They are giving examples of things that Bea and Eugenie have been doing all along, especially with QE. They attended her garden parties. How is this showing a possible amped-up future role? They would, of course, have to give up any monetary pursuits since that is a no-no (for those outside the monarch and heir, of course.) And they would have to use their children for PR and comparison to the important ones.
I was just thinking the same thing. I DO believe that Beatrice would like to do more in an official role, but going to garden parties, being not official Royal patrons but patrons of charities attending these events is typical to what they always did. I don’t see any difference from what they were doing from 2015 to now, other than the fact that Harry and Meghan aren’t there to be the official second couple anymore.
It’s interesting how half in and out though is ok for literally everyone else. So it wasn’t the model that apparently the Queen just couldn’t fathom working, it was very clearly that people were going to say how is it that they have the same number of engagements or more than the heir when they work part time?
Peggs won’t let them work full time unless they renounce Harry and Meghan. He’s so petty. So how come it’s OK for William’s stories about “when he is king.” He is in effect disrespecting Charles.
I agree. I find it disgusting that he’s stating his future plans when his father is ill but still working me than him! If Chuck were smart and not so weak, he’d put an end to that kind of disrespectful talk but I’m not holding my breath.
So B & E might get funding in the future although Meghan didn’t get funding right from the start. So why should B & E get it? The answer….
I have a hard time believing that both women would be willing to give up their freedom to become full-time working royals. They have the best of both worlds right now and it would be a bad idea for them to change it. The press wants them to be working royals so that they will be free intrude into their lives.
I’m very sure they remember their treatment at the hands of the press, thanks to Kate and her vicious whispers. Kate’s jealousy is amping up as we speak, why would either of them want that again, not to mention making their children targets for the press. The York princesses would have to be out of their minds to do this. (maybe daddy is putting pressure on them to do this for him)
Hmm. I could see William wanting more people to do bread and butter type events. Like an Anne. But is he really going to fully fund both sisters or will they be half-in. And technically it might seem like a chill thing to Eugenie and Beatrice. The worry would be, that as the kids get older, will their kids get thrown under the bus as scapegoats? Maybe they figure that might happen anyways regardless of whether they’re working royals or not.
Their kids and their husbands…god help them if their husbands step out on them. I agree with you, I wonder if they figure it will happen anyway, might as well get a nice appearance with the King and Queen out of it.
He will never give them a dime of government or Duchy money.
I believe they want to do more and they will if it guarantees William continuing to fund and protect Prince Andrew after Charles is gone.
I agree. I think their parents is the only leverage William may have over the York princesses. But Charles is still here and Andrew may well have his own blackmail material.
I’m curious to see how involved both York sisters choose to be once they don’t have to consider their parents. It seems that both women have created lives away from the royal family and what royal things are things they did consistently when the queen was alive. If they didn’t have to consider protection, housing, or financial support for their parents would they be even less involved than they are now? Even if when they younger they wanted more involved roles that was when they were single and not mothers, what they might have put up for themselves they may not be willing to put their families through.
There isn’t any love lost between the York sisters and Kate and I’m not convinced that they actually like William much as a person. So if they didn’t have to consider their parents would they even be willing to do royal work for William?
There it is. They’re protecting Dad – and, even more precariously, Mum. The elder Yorks are an expensive thorn in the monarchy’s side, both annoying to keep and dangerous to cut loose. I suspect Chuck and Wills both see some effort from the York daughters as the least they can get back out of managing the Andrew problem – and threatening to street the two of them would inf act keep Eug & Bea in a helpful mood, since they seem to have good relationship with their mom.
Obviously he wants that. The more they do, the less he’ll do.
Yep, it’s as simple as that.
I dig enjoy the line, though, about Eugenie managing to work a full-time job — and raising children — while serving as patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Teenage Cancer Trust.
That’s not going to land well with Lazy.
But Saint Lazy and her very small and precious children need so much dedicated family time and vacations! Oh, B&E’s kids are younger and their moms have actual jobs? But the wails are so damn special that they need a special kind of rules!
That’s what the press never calls out. How insulting is it to Anne, Sophie and the Duchess of Gloucester who ALL raised children while being full time working royals? And all of them seemingly have very good relationships with their children so it wasn’t a “work or be an absentee parent” thing. They always refer to the Queen, who had a much different workload and set of responsibilities, to explain why Kate, and William for that matter, need to be excused from the bare minimum.
King Billy and Queenie will need scaffolding in terms of RF members willing to do standard engagements. Kingy and Queenie will “focus” on select projects with guaranteed standing ovations. Lesser royals will do the rest so cousins,Lady Gaby, Louise and James etc., will be expected to do their duty to the monarch.
I think, given their father, they’ll do whatever the crown tells them to. If charles wanted them doing more they would be. If william wants them to do full time I imagine they would. If he was willing to keep funding their father in exchange. I don’t see their husbands giving up their jobs, so you then have a half in half out and I’m sure the rules will change that that is fine and it was never an issue. I think their current situation even counts as half in half out to be honest. Seeing what harry and Meghan went through, knowing what they went through themselves as young girls, how their mother was treated, I can’t imaging wanting that life.
Obviously part time roles with Working RF are available to certain folk. FK and FQ get all the money for doing a fifth of the engagements that Anne does. However one of the RR assured DF readers that such is Baldy and Buttons star power that one appearance of theirs is worth a hundred of anybody else 🫅
RR forgets that it’s not about stardom, but about actual work and action, and WK do ZERO of that!
Not to mention that the less they show themselves and the less they do, the greater the propaganda straight from North Korea and the maximum pumping up of every, the smallest exit, because it is not known when or if there will be another one.
Their “popularity” is best demonstrated by empty streets with kilometers of barriers protecting them from anyone:)))
I think Beatrice and Eugenie would add some interest and even glam. I don’t think the York women have ever been touted as glamorous by the press, but here we are. It shows how inadequate the Waleses are. Eugenie looked great at the WanK hosted garden party. The new Beatrice is pretty stylish. I’ve always liked Eugenie as a public royal. She’s very well spoken and seems warm and approachable. I don’t get the same feeling from Beatrice.
B seems very status conscious.
The Yorks have always attended events like the garden parties and occasionally officially represented the Crown for Queen Elizabeth. I don’t think they are doing anything more now than before. I actually think that William will ask them to do a bunch of events but not allow them to be working Royals.
They have nightmarish parents, so I hope they’re able to be happy.
I cannot help myself though, I have to say: Can someone PLEASE tackle Beatrice and tell her, she has a bosom and she needs to stop trying to dress like she does not?
Every one of her outfits shown here has puffed sleeves and a high neck, and two out of three have visible pulling over the bust. This is a wildly unflattering combo, it makes her look heavy when she isn’t.
Even that beautiful gown is a miss for me. It’s too vibrant a color so close to her face, it washes her out and her lank hair doesn’t help. The puffed sleeves and the collar, with the wide belt right up under her bust: unflattering! She needs to give up these old childhood favorite details and find a much sleeker style that flatters a healthy woman’s figure.
Eugenie used to have a lot of trouble dressing for her body type, but she’s greatly improved. Beatrice is still struggling and sometimes downright frumpy.
And they both need to completely rethink their hat game.
What is interesting, and what many people have missed, is that Bea en Eugenie were included in the latest YouGov fake popularity poll. They were never included in these polls before. So now you get why; they were anticipating/testing the waters of them becoming (half-in) working royals, even though they don’t have that rol yet. (cheaters!)
That’s why the outcomes of that poll were deceptive – if you include more people in a poll, out of 100%, when you compare the results with your previously poll abt the same subject (popularity), everybody will score lower, esp. Meghan and Harry.
I think a lot of people miss what half in, half out is really about. No one can cash in on their royal titles and make money from being an HRH.
Bea can do her private work as Bea York, Eugenie can work in her art galleries, and if Meghan wanted to work in the theatre as Meghan Sussex, it would totally be fine.
What is not allowed is marketing paid-for podcasts with HRH The Duchess of Sussex and her getting paid for it. She can’t do Disney voice overs “featuring HRH Duchess of Sussex.” She can’t sell jam that is branded “royal jam” from HRH Duchess of Sussex.
If she wanted to work privately, fine.
Similarly, Eugenie can’t go all in with her husband on whatever his tequila business is and start marketing HRH York Princess tequila.
THAT’s what half in, half out means. You can’t trade on the royal brand and make money.
Zara is an anomaly because she isn’t titled, but is so adjacent.
The others can WORK privately. What they can’t do is trade on their royal status for money.
Of Harry were a lawyer and was a partner in a law firm, even if just because of his title, that would be okay as long as he wasn’t out there marketing “skirt the law with HRHPrince Harry.”
WHAT they are doing (basically selling royal stuff and trading solely on the Royal title) is what is not allowed and is what so many people miss about all this.
Bea and Eugenie could work privately and also help, but Meghan and Harry ruined it for everyone by them wanting to be like Zara but trading on their royal titles and status. If Meghan could make billions simple being Meghan Markle or Meghan Sussex, and mostly on her own, no one would care, it’s the trading on the status and titles that wrankles, and this mostly American audience doesn’t see the nuance that exists for the British.
It’s like the most basic conflict of interest in corporate America – have all the side hustles you want as long as they don’t interfere with your job performance. But the minute you start a side hustle that trades on your status with the company you are with – you’re out the door. Not hard to understand.
Slightly O/T, but the York princesses’ mother had a “half-in half-out” role before the term was coined. She was allowed to continue with her job in arts publishing after her marriage, which was a first for female royal married-ins: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2013/08/princess-diana-sarah-ferguson-relationship
(In case this is behind a paywall, here’s a quote: “[Fergie] also nips over to Switzerland to catch up with her publishing company, and to Paris to shop and see her best friend, Florence Belmondo, daughter of film star Jean-Paul. She spends time in her office or in libraries, doing a little light picture research. In fact, she can still dip back into lay life whenever she feels like it.”)
Curiously, Fergie has never spoken about this period of her life as far as I’m aware – it wasn’t even mentioned in her ghostwritten autobiography.
I’m not sure I get the concerns people have raised above about the princesses’ children. As female-line descendants they don’t have royal titles and as such can’t be working royals. Whether they choose to cash in on their royal-adjacent statuses in future like Zara Tindall or quietly get on with their lives like James Ogilvy is another matter.
I doubt very much Bulliam wants the sisters to assume a high profile à la Harry and Meghan. If, that is, this is more than idle tabloid speculation to fill column inches. Bulliam and Lazy hate any competition, and that was their real problem with Meghan and Harry doing lots of work and getting lots of press attention for it. Bulliam would be hoping Beatrice and Eugenie would become his donkeys like Anne, Sophie and Edward–quietly doing all the jobs he and Lazy don’t want to do and attracting minimal press coverage. Anybody remember when Edward and Sophie went to the Caribbean to mop up after Bulliam and Lazy’s disastrous Caribbean tour? Me neither, until something reminded me of it recently. And didn’t Sophie recently go to Mumbai or Oman or some such place, which I can’t remember because there was almost no reporting on it? Did the Fail even report on Edward’s presence at the new Pope’s installation? That’s what Bulliam wants and will demand in return for keeping Andrew on. Whether he pays them to leave their jobs is anybody’s guess.