Princess Beatrice is the first born of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. As such, she is the King’s niece. However, she has chosen, just like her younger sister, to not be a working royal. Instead she works in the private sector as Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy of a data and software company called Afiniti.
Discover our latest podcast
On top of that, Princess Beatrice doesn’t exclusively live in the UK. Indeed, in 2015, it was reported that she had moved to New York City. Since then, she is believed to be splitting her time between London and the US.
That being said, Princess Beatrice can often be spotted at royal events such as weddings or Christmas mass and functions. Moreover, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have been known to step in when necessary—something that is now, more than ever, important as the monarchy is short of working royal members.
Now Daily Mail has reported that the two York sisters are about to step in. Specifically, Beatrice York, as she is known in her professional life. She is rumoured to be present at the Japanese State Visit of June 2024.
Kate Middleton’s crucial role
When in January 2024 it was announced that the Princess of Wales would not be returning to royal duties until after Easter, it came as a huge shock. Well into May, the Princess continues to recover at home as she undergoes treatment.
While this is more than normal after what has been found out about her health, this remains a blow for the Royal Family. Indeed, for many years, Middleton has acted as one of the most valuable members of The Firm.
Firstly because she has a crazy amount of soft power. Her image is of incredible importance and when she wears something, it immediately sells out—it impacts the British economy. Not only that, the Princess of Wales is the most popular member of the family, above the King and her husband.
Other key elements Middleton brought to the table were glamour and relatability. With the lack of young working royals, the monarchy is struggling to put those aspects in the forefront. The Princess was therefore crucial in preserving them—every outfit she wore made headlines and saw many royal experts dissect them in search of hidden meaning.
In her absence, The Firm is looking for solutions. The most expected one would usually have been to turn to Prince William’s brother but that was made impossible back in 2020 when the Sussexes left their roles as senior members of the family. Furthermore, that separation was cemented in January 2023 when Prince Harry published his memoir Spare which placed members of The Firm in a most unflattering light.
The other available solution is to turn to the two people who have made themselves available even though they don't work as royals: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Princess Beatrice steps up
According to the Daily Mail on 11 May 2024, Princess Beatrice will be helping King Charles in June during the Japanese State Visit. They wrote:
Buckingham Palace is still considering how best to deploy Beatrice, but she is expected to accompany the King to one key event, possibly the Japanese state visit next month.
The tabloid also reports that, even though she could step up, King Charles has no intention in changing her status to working royal.
An anonymous source told the publication:
the King wants the cast list for such events to include Beatrice as well as occasionally her sister, Princess Eugenie, also a non-working royal
The source allegedly added:
I think Beatrice and Eugenie are adding support where they can. They've always been clear they're non-royal, but they're always there to help fulfil any duties required.
The Daily Mail also quotes another source who says that King ‘Charles is very aware that his slimmed-down monarchy is getting positively skeletal’ forcing him to rely heavily on Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
The same anonymous source continued to allege:
He [King Charles] is looking to bring in some fresh blood and he's looking to Beatrice and Eugenie. He thinks that they've grown into very sensible, lovely women who he thinks could be a real asset.
Going back to the glamour we mentioned earlier, the source said:
They [the public] have been crying out for that royal glamour that has been missing during a time when his slimmed-down monarchy is in desperate need of bulking up.
Beatrice in particular has been desperate for her chance to shine. She was once shy and her style was a little frumpy. But these days she's ambitious, confident and fashionable. She looks great in photos.
The shadow of Prince Andrew
This isn’t the first time Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie’s names are brought up in relation to the lack of working royals. However, there was always one major reservation: their ties to Prince Andrew.
It goes without saying that the Duke of York is the most controversial member of The Firm and that any association with him is a heavy burden to carry. However, it seems unfair to Beatrice and Eugenie who, as adults, are not responsible for their father’s actions.
In 2023, royal author Andrew Lownie told Express:
The feeling is the sins of the father shouldn’t affect the children but neither Eugenie nor Beatrice have the popularity of the Duchess of Edinburgh or her daughter. They will be seen as a backup team.
With hindsight, his words seem to be a sort of prediction.
The York sisters not destined to be working royals
In January 2024, Catherine Meyer-Funnell wrote a comment article for Express. In it, she expands on the idea that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, though a ‘popular choice’ to substitute for other members of the Royal Family, becoming working royals wouldn’t align with the life choices they have made.
As we’ve already explained, Princess Beatrice is working in the private sector, a path which her younger sister has also followed. Princess Eugenie works in the art world, specifically for the art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
Meyer-Funnell explains that those jobs and the lives they have built outside of The Firm makes becoming a working royal ‘extremely unlikely’. The royal commentator even goes as far as saying that it would be a ‘mistake’.
It is one thing for the sisters to make occasional appearances at large family events such as the Coronation, but it would be a mistake for them to ditch the work they have done so far and commit to full-time royal engagements.
On top of that, Meyer-Funnell joins Andrew Lownie in raising limitations to the time Beatrice and Eugenie could dedicate to the Royal Family. According to them, the two women’s ‘young families’ would prevent them dedicating a lot of time to royal duties.
The two York sisters also work with charities and organisations of their own. Meyer-Funnell explains that this very same charity work could stand in the way of working for The Firm. The writer explains:
Not only is it unlikely they would want to detract from their own charity work, it makes sense for them to focus on what they are most passionate about and give as much time to that as they can.
The commentator ends her argument by bringing up a major point: the York sisters have a lot of freedom, something working royals, especially the younger ones, lack. We have seen it with the Sussexes. The writer concluded that ‘it would be wrong’ to take that freedom away from them.
What do you think? Do you see the York sisters permanently stepping up?
Read more:
⋙ Peter Phillips: Princess Anne's son spotted with new girlfriend Harriet Sperling
⋙ Princess Diana: Royal author reveals Queen Elizabeth knew she wasn't right for Charles
Sources:
Daily Mail: Bring in the Bea team! King Charles calls up Princess Beatrice to add some glamour in Kate Middleton's absence
Express: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will never be working royals and for good reason
Express: Eugenie and Beatrice are ‘not popular enough’ to help Prince Andrew rehabilitate his image
