Duties and Roles of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie 1: Discussion Until 2022


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Oh yes, definitely!:flowers: The British like to see their Royals "earning their keep" as much as possible.

I'd love to see Bea mix genuine charity work including being the marquee-name draw for fundraising events, and not along the lines of a fauxlunteer.
 
There are plenty of people who graduated from university/college and haven't gotten a job right away. Lest anyway forgets...jobs are hard to come by for some right now.

. . . . . . . . . I do agree that she needs to do something worthwhile with her life, but frankly as long as future Queen of England isn't doing royal engagements on a regular....I don't see why Beatrice should be held to a higher standard.

And frankly, its only been four months.
You raise a very good point. It has only been four months and, for a future Queen, how many years before she . . . . . .

Fair's fair! I think it's time that people laid off Beatice, as she is entitled to do as little as she pleases. So many people have taken great pleasure in repeating, ad nauseum, that for reasons beyond our comprehension Charles, or BP, doesn't want them working for the "firm" That being the case, the choices are hers. So if she wants to live a life of unfettered leisure, what's it to us? Is it our business?

So, we want to complain that her (Neanderthal) minder, more used to dealing with "celebrities" rather than royalty, was incredibly rude and disrespectful to Thai Princess Sirivannavari ? Well, Protection Officers are pretty sharp at navigating diplomatic waters and if this is a problem guess whose fault it isn't . . . . . Beatrice's, who by all reports is a very polite young woman.
 
:previous: Have you got any suggestions for HRH Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York, the 23-year old 2:1 degree recipient in history and the history of ideas from Goldsmiths College less than two months ago?:ermm:

Is there any reason you use her full name, age and degree? This is a thread about Princess Beatrice, so people posting are probably going to know who she is.
I suggest she actually does some work like I said in my first post.
 
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One of the King of Spain's sisters trained as a nurse and worked in a hospital. The other took a course in childcare and worked as a volunteer in a nursery that cared for poor children, and it was definitely a hands on nappy changing work. I am sure other royals have done something useful with their lives and others haven't.
By the way I think that Sherlock is quite in his/her right to give the Princess her full name, some wouldn't but it is a choice and not incorrect and not all people can be as knowledgeable as others seem to think they are.
 
Is there any reason you use her full name, age and degree? This is a thread about Princess Beatrice, so people posting are probably going to know who she is.
I suggest she actually does some work like I said in my first post.


You have been asked for suggestions - do you have any??
 
You have been asked for suggestions - do you have any??

I suggested doing work for the family she belongs to. Or do you guys want me to provide names of charities and organisations she can work for and hospitals she can open?

She's got a degree in History and History of Art but shows no signs of actually using it, yes she's only been out of uni for 4 months but graduates are encouraged and helped to find work at the start of their third year which was last september for Beatrice. If she doesn't want to put her degree to good use then I suggest she start work for some charitable organisations, perhaps arrange dinners, fundraisers, charity events and the like.

People have said that Catherine isn't doing anything so why should Beatrice? Well I think both Catherine and Beatrice should be doing something, Catherine is apparently doing something contrary to reports she wants a quiet country life.
 
Whilst I have not got a shred of evidence to back this up, I feel that the reason for the apparently hostility to the York princesses taking up royal duties has in its roots the various 'difficulties' that have beset their mother.. And look, the current crop of Royals are getting no younger and many of whom are either approaching pensionable age or have been of pensionable age for some years. Thus, there really needs to be someone who can take over Royal duties.....

I therefore think that if Beatrice is going to have Royal duties, then the position needs to be clarified and confirmed asap.


ITA!
It has long been speculated that Charles intends to streamline the BRF once he succeeds.
But demand for royal patronage is, if anything, on the increase. Someone has to take up the slack, and really Beatrice is the only royal available!

The Kents, the Gloucesters, Princess Alexandra, even Princess Anne is approaching retirement age; Andrew has a cloud over him, William and Harry are both trying to maintain military careers.

IMO, there would be no doubt about this if it were not for Fergie. Her antics have been so damaging to her daughters that, though no fault of their own, they are seen in a negative light when it comes to fulfilling engagements with grace and dignity.

But I hope Beatrice is given a chance, because the need is there, and I think she'd rise to the occasion and be a credit to the BRF.
 
I agree. I think that the "powers that be" are nervous that Sarah might tag along or involve herself in some other way.


IMO, there would be no doubt about this if it were not for Fergie. Her antics have been so damaging to her daughters that, though no fault of their own, they are seen in a negative light when it comes to fulfilling engagements with grace and dignity.

But I hope Beatrice is given a chance, because the need is there, and I think she'd rise to the occasion and be a credit to the BRF.
 
I agree. I think that the "powers that be" are nervous that Sarah might tag along or involve herself in some other way.

Depending on how much Beatrice wants it it might be part of the deal that she not have an "accessory" with her.
 
In addition to being princesses, are these two girls also considered heiresses? Do they have money in trust funds? I'm confused about the money situation they have...if they have millions on their own, then getting a job in something they are passionate about shouldn't be a problem because they have that cushion. BUT if that money only comes from being a working royal then I can see why their father wants them to have that security since they don't seem to have much interest in getting a real job.

It's weird because they lead such an archaic lifestyle--years ago, they would've been married off. It's odd to be a princess and not actually have a role in the royal firm. Maybe he shouldn't have given them the titles like his sister did with her kids.
 
zembla said:
In addition to being princesses, are these two girls also considered heiresses? Do they have money in trust funds? I'm confused about the money situation they have...if they have millions on their own, then getting a job in something they are passionate about shouldn't be a problem because they have that cushion. BUT if that money only comes from being a working royal then I can see why their father wants them to have that security since they don't seem to have much interest in getting a real job.

It's weird because they lead such an archaic lifestyle--years ago, they would've been married off. It's odd to be a princess and not actually have a role in the royal firm. Maybe he shouldn't have given them the titles like his sister did with her kids.

They will get money through their father via their grandmother. Then it is possible QM gave them inheritance of some kind.
Andrew didn't have a choice really about titles, Bea and Eugenie have the possibility albeit slim of becoming monarchs, a life without royal interaction would have proved fatal had something occurred and they needed to step in. I believe they, mainly Beatrice atm need to start doing royal work. Charles wants to scale back the rf, but he isn't King yet.
 
Presumably they have trust funds set up by the Queen Mother and probably also by the Queen. I doubt if there will ever be a need for them to be supported in their private lives by the public. They may wish some sort of private career but that should not bar them from also taking on some sort of public role with charities or cultural groups either in an official royal capacity or in a more unofficial one a la the Michaels of Kent.
 
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I believe they, mainly Beatrice atm need to start doing royal work. Charles wants to scale back the rf, but he isn't King yet.


Anyway, how much can he scale back?

I read somewhere that the Queen has over 700 patronages! Someone has to fulfill them once she no longer can; why not Beatrice and Eugenie?

Many of the members of the RF are stepping down or are about to; I don't think it's realistic to expect William and Harry, along with their wives, to fill that large a gap.
 
Sometimes this thread reminds me of how we used to go round and round in William and Kate's Relationship Musings thread. I don't think we will know until we know....if that makes sense.

I love how the DM always pulls out the same chestnut that Charles is keen to reduce the size of the BRF without acknowledging (as we have here MANY MANY times) that the natural way of life will reduce the size of the British Royals and that there are MANY MANY organizations that benefit by royal patronage (including those the Kents and the Gloucesters serve).

I don't know about anyone else but lately I find myself just looking at the pics and doing a cursory glance at the article, I try (not hard enough it appears) not to read the comments because the ignorance just annoys the heck out of me! For example, according to some Edward does nothing, Peter and his new baby are a constant drain on the British taxpayer, etc. It just borders on ridiculous.

Either way we shall see. Either they will do a tandem of both: royal duties in conjunction with some sort of career/job. What I am pretty confident in is that they won't win with either situation. If they work, they will be accused of not getting the job on their merits, taking a job from someone else, they are most likely rich so why work, questioning why they get so much time off. If they do charity work it will be why don't they get a job, they are just spongers like their parents, they vacation too much, they party too much, etc.

So its a no win situation IMO.
 
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Anyway, how much can he scale back?

I read somewhere that the Queen has over 700 patronages! Someone has to fulfill them once she no longer can; why not Beatrice and Eugenie?

Many of the members of the RF are stepping down or are about to; I don't think it's realistic to expect William and Harry, along with their wives, to fill that large a gap.

I don't mean to go round and round but, if the Queen can handle 700 patronages, I think Charles can handle that many when he becomes King as well. And if he doesn't want to then yes sharing them out between the family is logical, if he doesn't do that then he'll be downsizing his future list of patronages and being disliked by a few groups in society (no advisable in his possible condition).

I doubt Charles will solely rely on what is currently William, Catherine and Harry all of whom are currently not being actual royals. He has his siblings, and The Dukes of Kent & Gloucester and their wives (in the case of Katharine, very little), but until William & Harry's children are out of university or college whichever they choose and if they then choose to actually participate in the family they were born in to, Charles is going to be a little shorthanded in the help department.

Beatrice and Eugenie, in my personal opinion, considering the age and marriage status of the younger and older generations of the royals - need to start doing something to contribute to the family. Eugenie next year more so when she leaves university, but she is still managing to attend engagements with her father, even if only 2 in one week it's a start.
 
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I don't mean to go round and round but, if the Queen can handle 700 patronages, I think Charles can handle that many when he becomes King as well. And if he doesn't want to then yes sharing them out between the family is logical, if he doesn't do that then he'll be downsizing his future list of patronages and being disliked by a few groups in society (no advisable in his possible condition).

But Charles already has a lot of patronages too. Maybe not as many as the Queen, but last time I looked there were nearly 400.

So do his brothers and sister.
Sure, they can take on a few more perhaps, but they will still need more help if they plan to carry on at the same scale.

(I honestly doubt that Anne, for example, can cram more events into her schedule. Besides, she is also in her sixties. It's fine for Charles to say scale down, but there will be just as much criticism if certain royals step down and no one is there to replace them, imo).

I agree that they should start having Beatrice and Eugene take on a few patronages and see how it works out.
 
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But Charles already has a lot of patronages too.

So do his brothers and sister.
Sure, they can take on a few more perhaps, but they will still need more help if they plan to carry on at the same scale.

True enough..it boggles my mind that kind of reshuffling of duties that will need to occur when Charles assumes the throne. If it's soon (and I don't think it will be) William, Catherine & Harry will be thrown into the pool rather quickly, I imagine. Even the passing of the DoE will necessitate a fair few reassignments. I don't know how speedily these things happen, though. I'm one who believes that Beatrice and Eugenie will be sorely needed to pick up the slack.
 
Although it's sad to think about it, some of the "minor" members of the BRF who are doing duties now might not live into their 80s and beyond. We're thinking that Princess Anne and her brothers and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent will be around for many more years; but such might not happen. There are accidents, there are bad diagnoses in younger-than-anticipated years, etc. I don't want to be gloomy, but I think that there's reason to start using the the York princesses more, soon, in case they're suddenly needed. Or at least have them trained so that they can step in if need be.
 
Some people need also to remember that the Duke of Kent it already well into his 70s as is Princess Alexandra. The Duke has just had his 76th birthday and Princess Alexandra will be 75 in December. They are no spring chickens themselves.

The Duke of Gloucester is a bit younger as is Prince Michael but currently of the 15 royals who carry out even occasional royal duties 33% are over the regular retiring age and only 33% are under 50 (that includes William, Kate and Harry) - over retiring age - The Duke of Edinburgh (90), The Queen (85), Duke of Kent (76), Princess Alexandra (75), Duke of Gloucester (67) - all over 67 while between 50 and 67 there is The Duchess of Gloucester (65), The Duchess of Cornwall (64), The Prince of Wales (62 - 63 next month), The Princess Royal (61) and The Duke of York (51) with The Earl of Wessex (47), The Countess of Wessex (46) and then The Duchess of Cambridge (29), The Duke of Cambridge (29) and Prince Harry at (27).

So within the next 10 years the likelihood is that at least 2 or 3 of those in the oldest third will pass away to be replaced by William and Kate but who will replace the next third - unless William and Kate are to be totally irresponsible as far as the environment is concerned and have more than two children and everyone lasts at least 30 more years - until they have finished their education the plan seems to be to have three/four when Harry marries to replace the current workload of about 7/8.
 
I really do wonder if this has been thought out properly. There is no way so few can do so many Royal duties. I do think something needs to be decided so Beatrice and Eugenie know how to plan for their futures. The Queen could very easily live for another 15 years but there is no way she will be able to continue the amount of duties she is now doing the same with the DofE I mean at 90 he really does deserve a break. The only thing I can really think off is that as someone "retires" or passes that patronage goes with them. Of course the girls could combine working and being part time Royals. William works and does some duties. It could be a way of giving the girls some experience so if need be they can step in. The Queen has given them money she gave them a trust when Sarah and Andrew divorced and I would be surprised if the QM didn't leave them anything I don't think they are uber rich but have more then enough to get by. The girls do need to at least be seen doing something at the moment Beatrice just showing up at parties etc is getting noticed more and more. Something else the DM got wrong it said she was going into business but before it was said she had several charity internships on the cards.
 
As I recall HM The Queen Mother tied up most of her cash into trust funds for her great grandchildren in order to avoid taxes.

As well, HM The Queen put roughly 1.2 million pounds into trust for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie when Andrew and Sarah divorced. That was in 1996, imagine how that trust has grown?

The York girls should have plenty of money to keep them in relative comfort. I think they'd be well suited to being Working Royals, they likely will navigate public life far better than either of their parents have simply by learning from their mistakes.
 
Perceptions of the York girls

It does seem that they are not being "handled" well in any case. If they wish to have a proper role within the BRF, the girls need to behave extremely carefully. Sitting in the front row of fashion shows is not something any other major royal would do. Heavy partying, designer dressing, none of this seems to be a good advertisement or preparation for a royal role. Poor Beatrice: criticized for her wardrobe, she swings to the other end of the spectrum by wearing a succession of serious (and seriously expensive) designer wear. A wiser route may be to take a hint from Kate in her cautious mode of dressing that regularly suggests a lack of conspicuous consumption by mixing High Street fashion with the occasional designer piece or two. Such a strategy could help portray the young princesses as having greater substance. It may seem to some unfair, but at this point, they need to behave extremely well in order to be taken seriously.

On the other hand, perhaps they should just be allowed to be themselves and enjoy the perks of being young, royal and attractive and not try to force them into a seriously challenging mold. Prince Charles is well aware of the missteps and misfortunes of the entire York clan, and is likely very concerned about the ways they have reflected negatively on the Royal Family on all too many occasions and would prefer to have them keep a much lower profile.
 
It's my opinion that Beatrice and Eugenie haven't done anything really wrong. On the rare occasions when they do an engagement--whether it's with their mother or their father (though one is a royal engagement and the other is a regular charity engagement)--they handle themselves well. I think that it would be a good idea, as others have stated, that they be seen involved in "serious" pursuits more often. Granted, they've been studying during the last while. Eugenie is less available because she's in full-time studies, but I think that Beatrice could be seen to do more "hands on" work with charity and/or humanitarian organizations. Even if she does internships, I think that it would be good for her to be seen helping somewhere. I remember when William and Harry did some work for the Red Cross packing boxes to help out with disaster relief. Something as simple as that would help change people's perceptions of Beatrice and Eugenie. The key is that they need to be known as persons in their own right and not as extensions of their parents. And for that to happen, they have to be seen to be genuinely caring individuals and actively helping the nation in some way.
 
I get the feeling that neither the British public nor the family, except their father, want the girls doing anything official or public - sad but that is the way I see it - not wanted by anyone.
 
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I know a few members of the British public, clearly including myself, that would like to see these girls do something official. And i'm sure HM along with their father would be proud to see the girls working for 'The Firm'. The girls, like Mermaid said, have never done anything wrong. It's their mother who gives the girls a bad image so to speak, sort her out and this country could have two wonderful working princesses.
 
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I don't believe that it is just the "taint" of Sarah that works against the York princesses at this point. The Duke has been most unwise in some of his dealings, and the young women have not been carefully guided in their activities.

You would think that the Duke and Duchess would understand that, all around, bad PR has plagued them and their family image has suffered. If they truly want the girls to be accepted as major, active royals, they would sit them down and guide their actions and activities. I agree with Lumutqueen that they haven't done "anything wrong," but, truth be told, there are abundant examples of unwise decisions, in the PR sense, that have been well covered in the press -- and not just the DM. If you are in the public eye, you must be far more cautious in promoting an image than any normal celebrity, which is tough for young girls who want to enjoy life and have a good time.
 
Beatrice could be an asset, she seems much more confident with herself lately and very pulled together. But I agree that it does seem like their father is the only one fighting for this so they can continue to have protection and other perks.

On the flip side, I did just see photos of Eugenie stumbling around without shoes on looking a hot mess. I just don't think that kind of behavior is really endearing her to anyone. Eugenie frequently looks very sloppy in public...she needs to pull it together. I know Harry has been down a similar road and continues to act a fool, but who is advising them? They aren't entertainers--it's not cute for people who work with so many charities to act so foolish.
 
Both William and Harry have looked ridiculous, drunk and very 'un-royal' in newspapers, but now due to the wedding and Harry's somewhat cleaned up image they are the sweethearts again. Beatrice and Eugenie have both done what their older cousins have done, enjoyed life, partied during uni or training in Harry's case. But they have received a lot more stick because of their parents. With Andrew and Sarah receiving streams of bad press and criticism it is easier therefore to pass the criticism onto the girls, 'just like there father/mother', you feel almost less guilty and you could even assume it's genetics.
 
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