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For years, there’s been talk of the York princesses being drafted into full-time royal work. That’s what Prince Andrew wanted for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, for his two daughters to become “working royals.” King Charles always had other ideas, even when QEII was still alive. Charles always fought it. Now that he’s king, the Yorks are not being brought into any working-royal fold, although they’re still invited to family events and occasionally state events. Eugenie and Beatrice also have small charity portfolios and they both have full-time jobs. One might even say they’re part-time royals, half-in the institution. Well, now that Charles and the Princess of Wales have significant health issues and Prince William is solely obsessed with the school run, you would think that someone would suggest that Bea and Eugenie would step in for some of the lower-profile royal work? You would be wrong. From the Daily Beast’s Royalist:
Friends of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have said they are “very upset” but “not surprised” to have not been asked to carry out any royal engagements, while the threadbare royal family grapples with a double health crisis that has seen King Charles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton all step back from royal duties.
A friend of the young women told The Daily Beast: “It seems mean that the girls aren’t being used at all, when they have made it clear they want to be of service, especially when Prince Andrew has been accepted back into the fold. They have done nothing wrong, and they shouldn’t be visited with the sins of their father. They are very upset to have been ignored by the king as they feel they have a lot to offer, but, ultimately not surprised. They are sanguine about it.”
Another source, a friend of the wider family, told The Daily Beast: “Charles is very fond of the York girls but everyone, including them, accepts there is no place for them to be full time working royals. And as the late Queen Elizabeth made clear, being a part-time working royal isn’t an option.”
A former courtier, asked if the unavailability of Charles, William and Kate for public duties—leaving the monarchy with its official representatives being Queen Camilla (76), Princess Anne (73), Prince Edward (60) and wife Sophie (59)—pointed to the folly of cutting out the two younger royals (Beatrice is 35 and Eugenie is 33), said: “With hindsight you can make the argument that they should have been kept on, but a dramatic change of course now would not be helpful for anyone. The York girls have built successful lives as private individuals.”
Evidence of the king’s ongoing affection for his nieces can be found in the fact that since her 2020 marriage to Edoardo “Edo” Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, Princess Beatrice and her family have lived in a four-bed apartment in St James’ Palace, with two-year-old daughter Sienna and Edoardo’s older child from a previous relationship, Wolfie. They are understood to pay market rent. Eugenie, the younger sister, lives at a luxury golf and ocean club in Portugal, but spends time at her sister’s St James’ apartment when in the U.K.
Some believe, however, that if Charles and Kate were to be permanently sidelined, forced into greatly reduced roles for the longer term by ongoing health challenges, a Prince William regency would look desperately short-handed…This royal staffing time bomb is coming anyway, as the Waleses are unlikely to want their children becoming full time working royals until at least their mid-twenties. Their eldest child, Prince George, is only 10 right now. Some observers suspect that’s why the regular suggestions by associates of the Yorks that the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson could be invited back into the family—even on that oft ruled-out part-time basis— continue to be floated.
“Part-time royals are not allowed” is an argument they created solely for Prince Harry and Meghan and it’s biting them in the ass. It’s fun to watch too – despite the revisionist history that QEII was somehow vehemently opposed to part-time royals, she was actually fine with it for everybody else. Many of her “working royal” cousins had other jobs and they also represented the crown from time to time and were still “allowed” on the fakakta balcony. Prince Michael of Kent had a whole-ass Russian-consultation business (operated out of the palace) and he was a working royal for decades. The Duchess of Kent worked privately as a music teacher while she was also a working royal. There’s absolutely no reason why Eugenie and Beatrice couldn’t step in for some store openings and general ribbon-cuttings. Well, no reason other than Charles, Camilla and William’s jealousy, short-sightedness and pettiness.
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Christopher Woolf, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend The “Together At Christmas” Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 08, 2023 in London, England. Spearheaded by The Princess of Wales, and supported by The Royal Foundation, the service is a moment to bring people together at Christmas time and recognise those who have gone above and beyond to help others throughout the year.,Image: 827900659, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon Wimbledon, UNITED KINGDOM – Royal family in the stands at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships in London.
 
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Cheltenham, UNITED KINGDOM – Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank arrive at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival – Day 2 at the Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park. Pictured: Princess Eugenie – Jack Brooksbank BACKGRID USA 13 MARCH 2024 BYLINE MUST READ: James Watkins / BACKGRID 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* Cheltenham, UNITED KINGDOM – The 2024 Cheltenham Festival – Day 3 at the Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park. Pictured: Princess Beatrice – Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi BACKGRID USA 14 MARCH 2024 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* Vogue World: London show at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London. Featuring: Princess Eugenie Where: LONDON, United Kingdom When: 14 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Members of the British Royal Family attend the Christmas Day service at Sandringham Featuring: Princess Beatrice Where: Sandringham, Norfolk, United Kingdom When: 25 Dec 2023 Credit: Cover Images Members of the British Royal Family attend the Christmas Day service at Sandringham Featuring: Princess Beatrice Where: Sandringham, Norfolk, United Kingdom When: 25 Dec 2023 Credit: Cover Images Celebrities attend the Dior fashion show during the Paris Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Featuring: Princess Eugenie of York Where: Paris, France When: 19 Jan 2024 Credit: Jerome Dominé/Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**