Career Options for Princess Beatrice

[Princess BellyFlop]

Originally Posted by Kataryn

I am still curious to know the real reason behind Princess Beatrice's decision to work as a shopping assistant at Selfridges dring her gap year. Why? What could she possibly get from doing this sort of servant's job? She was looking for an entree into the world of fashion. But then she could have chosen a better place, no?

Maybe that's the only place she could get. A fashion house - any fashion house - wants to be associated with people with a good if not Great and FABULOUS fashion sense or a very trendy or innovative sharp dresser, not with someone who is regularly ridiculed in the press for her tacky ill-fitted choice of attire.

Associating the Yorks females with good fashion is almost an impossible thing for me. IMHO they always have something off when they show up and absolutely no consistency if they ever ever by a lucky accident get ONE outfit right once in a blue moon.

They remind me of The Princess Royale except she, at least, doesn't try to get all the attention with her wardrobe. She just recycles way too much and, like here nieces, has a poor sense of what's in.

Maybe the bad fashion gene that is plaging Beatrice and Eugenie is not just coming from Sarah but also from Andrew!

[Diarist]

Originally Posted by Kataryn

I am still curious to know the real reason behind Princess Beatrice's decision to work as a shopping assistant at Selfridges dring her gap year. Why? What could she possibly get from doing this sort of servant's job?

Please could I help with a little background information here?

Selfridges is a pretty upscale department store. It was always rated as such, but in recent years people feel that it has become even more so - which is connected, I think, to the fact that the store was taken over by The Weston Family. Galen Weston is both very wealthy AND fantastically well connected - he is a huge friend of royalty - he played polo with Prince Charles and was living at Fort Belvedere. In other words there was both a 'Royal connection' and a 'Major Ronald Ferguson connection'. Galen's wife Hilary was Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Galen and Hilary are Canadian citizens. The Weston family also own Holt Renfrew, the famous upscale Canadian Store.

The royal of personal shopping assistant is not really a 'servant role' but an 'employee role'. It is quite a coveted position as an entree in the world of fashion - buying and, come to that, fashion journalism. Very well connected young ladies - 'Sloane Ranger types' - fight to get such temporary positions.

i would speculate that Beatrice's job there was arranged though the Royal Family / York connection and could have been intended to give her experience of the world of fashion.

I hope this is of some help,

Alex

[KittyAtlanta]

I have been a personal shopping assistant. It is merely contacting the customer to let them know when something has come in that they would like. Now, I had to learn how to "nudge" the customer into the purchase (and I was paid commission only). This position was excellent for learning how to handle people.

[Mermaid1962]

All the more reason for them not to work as brand ambassadors.

Originally Posted by Super Baroness

But unfortunately for Beatrice and Eugenie, they already kind of have that image.

[Mermaid1962]

I don't think that an HRH can be given up. However, they could choose not to use it at work.

Originally Posted by Meadow

If being an HRH is so bad they could always give it up

[Penny Lane]

I don't know how it works in the UK but in the states non profits are a good to earn a living and make a difference.I know many people who work for various organizations.

Of course as some have pointed out there are other things the York girls could do in art,fashion or publishing.

[HRHHermione]

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

I don't know how it works in the UK but in the states non profits are a good to earn a living and make a difference.I know many people who work for various organizations.

Of course as some have pointed out there are other things the York girls could do in art,fashion or publishing.

I think there'd probably be an outcry if they accepted a salary from a charity- "donations going to the salary of Princess Beatrice instead of to the people it's supposed to help" kind of thing.

Non-profits can certainly provide great jobs for most people, but I think it might be bad PR here.

[Mirabel]

What about a job in a museum or library?

[windsorgirl]

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | UK News :: Princess Beatrice graduates as proud Andrew and Fergie look on

Well, this article just about covers everything we've addressed here to date...looks like some internships and then a job for Princess Beatrice with some charity work thrown in for good measure. She seems to be taking it all in stride...good for her!

[FergieFan]

Originally Posted by windsorgirl

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | UK News :: Princess Beatrice graduates as proud Andrew and Fergie look on

Well, this article just about covers everything we've addressed here to date...looks like some internships and then a job for Princess Beatrice with some charity work thrown in for good measure. She seems to be taking it all in stride...good for her!

Thanks for posting that - very interesting stuff, and some nice pictures too!

I thought this quote from the palace spokesman was interesting:
"Princess Beatrice will over the coming months broaden her knowledge and experience to complement her position as a member of the Royal Family".
That sounds to me as if she will be taking on Royal duties, but I wonder if it may be part-time alongside a paid job of some sort.
I'm pleased that she will continuing with her charity work, as it has always seemed that she has a passion for it, and it would be good for her to be able to make a difference in life.

[rmay286]

Perfect timing for Beatrice to make the announcement about her future plans - on graduation day. I think she has made a good decision if she combines internships about philanthropy with internships on business - the best of both her parents' worlds.

As for royal duties, the announcement does sound like they are leaving the door open for that.

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by FergieFan

I'm pleased that she will continuing with her charity work, as it has always seemed that she has a passion for it, and it would be good for her to be able to make a difference in life.

Yes, but it says she wants to promote her mother's favorite charities, and I think Beatrice should steer clear of anything connected to Fergie. I get that she loves her mother and wants to support her, but IMO she'd be better off going to the Queen and asking to take on a charity traditionally associated with Princess Alexandra or perhaps the Kents (since they wish to slow down anyway).

[Duke of Marmalade]

Princess Beatrice graduates university watched by Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson | Mail Online

[Mermaid1962]

I think that she's made some good decisions, too. The internships will give her experience and help her decide on her life's work. I'm glad for the possibility that she's going to do some work for HM as well.

Originally Posted by rmay286

Perfect timing for Beatrice to make the announcement about her future plans - on graduation day. I think she has made a good decision if she combines internships about philanthropy with internships on business - the best of both her parents' worlds.

[sndral]

The press just can't resist taking a swipe at her, can they - from the Dailymail article link above
"However the young royal will not, it seems, suffer the challenges faced by other young graduates desperately seeking a foothold in the job market." Later they hit on the taxpayers paying for protection officers for her and the 300,000 spent to renovate her St. James apartment as well.
I found this quote interesting too, as I had assumed the BRF didn't want her to do royal engagements "Friends have always said she is reluctant to become a full time working member of the Royal family..."
Two questions:
1) Didn't the Queen attend William's graduation? Was she there, was Dave Clark there and how about Eugenie?
2) Here in the US a college degree takes 4 years, is it different in England? We do have 2 year degrees.
I think a series of internships is a good idea.

[Lord_Royal]

Originally Posted by sndral

2) Here in the US a college degree takes 4 years, is it different in England? We do have 2 year degrees.
I think a series of internships is a good idea.

Most undergraduate degrees in the UK take 3 years to complete, which is what Beatrice has done and quite well with an Honors 2:1. William spent an extra year at St Andrew's in order to obtain his Masters.

[Mermaid1962]

The Queen was at her grandsons' graduations in an official capacity, although I have no doubt that her schedule was arranged so that she could attend their "passing out" ceremonies.

Originally Posted by sndral

1) Didn't the Queen attend William's graduation? Was she there, was Dave Clark there and how about Eugenie?

[American Dane]

Originally Posted by Lord_Royal

Most undergraduate degrees in the UK take 3 years to complete, which is what Beatrice has done and quite well with an Honors 2:1. William spent an extra year at St Andrew's in order to obtain his Masters.

Just a correction:
Scottish undergraduate degrees are MA, and take 4 years to complete. A postgraduate masters degree in Scotland are MSc and take an additional year to achieve. So William has an undergraduate degree only like the rest of his family.

[American Dane]

Originally Posted by Mermaid1962

The Queen was at her grandsons' graduations in an official capacity, although I have no doubt that her schedule was arranged so that she could attend their "passing out" ceremonies.

Was the Queen at William's St Andrews graduation in an official capacity? She obviously attended Harry and William's "passing out" as Commander-in-Chief

[yvr girl]

I'm not sure she was at William's graduation ceremony in an official capacity. I don't believe she attended Peter's or Zara's either.