Prince William is considering whether Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie should assume formal roles as working royals, according to royal sources, as the monarchy adapts to a smaller core family. The two daughters of Prince Andrew have increasingly appeared at official events, despite not receiving taxpayer funding or holding full-time positions within the royal household.
Princess Eugenie, 35, joined Prince William and Zara Tindall at Buckingham Palace's first garden party of the season on Tuesday, the second consecutive year she has participated in such a capacity. Princess Beatrice, 36, missed the event to attend the Matrix Awards in New York, where she was supporting women in communications.
A royal courtier told the Daily Mail, "Although Prince William still believes in a 'slimmed-down monarchy', he is increasingly aware of the hard work of his extended family." The comments come amid speculation that William, as heir to the throne, may expand the number of active royals to offset the absence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped back from their roles in 2020.
During Queen Elizabeth II's reign, extended members of the royal family were often relied upon to support the Crown. Royal commentator Richard Eden said the addition of Beatrice and Eugenie to the working ranks would "benefit the monarchy."
Princess Eugenie's public profile has continued to rise. In a recent interview with The Telegraph, she reflected on undergoing spinal surgery at age 12, an experience that led to her support of Horatio's Garden, a charity that builds therapeutic gardens at spinal injury units. "I'm happy to be on that journey with them. It needs to happen," she said during a visit to the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre.
Dr. Olivia Chapple, founder of Horatio's Garden, described Eugenie as "the ideal modern patron," adding, "She gets it. She's not just a figurehead - she wants to help in a really meaningful way."
In addition to Horatio's Garden, Eugenie co-founded The Anti-Slavery Collective in 2017 and helped raise £1 million at its Force for Freedom Gala. She also serves as a patron for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Teenage Cancer Trust, while maintaining a career at Hauser & Wirth and raising two sons with husband Jack Brooksbank.
Beatrice, meanwhile, is vice president at software firm Afiniti and is involved with charities including Outward Bound. She and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have two daughters, Sienna and Athena.
In a statement shared with The Telegraph, Eugenie emphasized the importance of service in her upbringing. "My mum always taught me that giving back to others is the most important thing in life. Bea and I feel very strongly about this," she said. "My grandmother's sense of duty was also instilled from a young age. We watched my parents, my granny and other family members working very hard."
On Monday, the sisters also appeared at the Chelsea Flower Show alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla. Eugenie later posted about the event on Instagram, writing: "Such a lovely afternoon visiting the @the_rhs Chelsea Flower Show, especially when I get to do it with my sis!"
The prospect of Beatrice and Eugenie taking on more public responsibilities is expected to remain under consideration as the royal family continues to adapt to generational and structural change.
