Prince William is reportedly keeping his cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, "at arm's length" as they grow closer to Prince Harry. This development, highlighted by royal expert Tom Quinn, comes at a time when the Prince of Wales is feeling "increasingly isolated" due to the health concerns of his wife, Catherine, and his father, King Charles.
Quinn, author of "Gilded Youth" and "Scandals of the Royal Palaces," told The Mirror that William's sense of isolation could be exacerbating his relationship with other family members. "As his two cousins pivot towards his exiled brother, and with his wife and father incapacitated by illness, William feels increasingly isolated and in the closed hothouse atmosphere of Kensington Palace and Windsor, he is bound to feel increasingly paranoid," Quinn stated.
The relationship between William and his cousins has reportedly been strained as Beatrice and Eugenie have shown more public support for Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex has often expressed that his cousins understand him the most, adding another layer of complexity to the royal dynamics. This closeness to Harry has caused "serious concern" at Kensington Palace, with officials reportedly viewing Beatrice and Eugenie's actions as aligning with the "dark side."
Despite these tensions, Beatrice and Eugenie joined William at a recent Buckingham Palace garden party, a gesture seen as a public show of unity. Approximately 8,000 guests attended the event, celebrating the work of volunteers, military personnel, and members of the public. Royal aides emphasized that William personally invited his cousins, along with Zara and Mike Tindall and Peter Phillips, signaling a continued familial bond.
Rebecca English, royal correspondent for the Daily Mail, noted that the presence of Beatrice and Eugenie at the event underscored the "easy relationship" William maintains with them. "It's a warmth that goes all the way back to fun family summers at Balmoral, Christmases at Sandringham - and now finds expression in the very modern medium of shared family WhatsApp groups," English wrote.
However, English also raised questions about the future role of Beatrice and Eugenie within the royal family. While they may take part in more events, both sisters have their own careers and families, making it unlikely that they will become full-time working royals. Beatrice works for the US-based tech company Afiniti, and Eugenie is a director at the art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
English argued that integrating Beatrice and Eugenie more fully into the royal fold could play into Harry and Meghan's narrative of being "half-in, half-out" royals, a position firmly rejected by the late Queen Elizabeth. "The Sussexes had been told very firmly by the late Queen Elizabeth that their preferred option of being 'half-in, half-out' royals while pursuing lucrative commercial careers was simply unacceptable," she wrote.
However, GB News' Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker believes that Prince William has "full trust" in Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, despite concerns over leaks to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In the first episode of The Royal Record, GB News' new podcast, Walker and Digital Royal Editor Svar Nanan-Sen discussed the likelihood of the York sisters becoming working royals.
Walker argued that seeing Prince William with Beatrice and Eugenie at the garden party shows that they are "very trusted and very loved members of the Royal Family." He added that if there wasn't any trust with members of the Royal Family, they wouldn't have been seen at the event.
The Royal Correspondent also suggested that William and his cousins are mature enough to realize that they can be friends with everybody in their family if they wish, regardless of the ongoing tensions between William and Harry. "This idea of stuff being leaked to Harry and Meghan and worried that it's going to go up on Netflix, you're never going to know for a fact if that's happening or not," Walker said.
Ultimately, the nuanced relationship between Prince William and his cousins reflects the broader challenges facing the royal family as they navigate internal dynamics and public perceptions. While William's cautious approach suggests a desire to maintain control and stability, the continued involvement of Beatrice and Eugenie in royal events highlights their enduring connection to the family, despite the ongoing complexities.
