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


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How can anyone compare the scale of work required by the BRF with that of (say) the Netherlands and Denmark. There are over 60 million people in the Uk, plus the other realms, plus the Commonwealth. It is completely different. Unless and until the expectations of the population changes, the BRF will need more than 4-8 active members.
 
If any "slimming down" has been discussed, it would have been done within the Way Ahead committee which talks about this kind of thing. It is chaired actually by Prince Philip with senior members of the Royal Family and staff that actually works with them on these kind of things in attendance. Andrew most certainly plays an important part along with Charles, Anne and Edward.

Anne's children are not royal, Edward's children by request are known as son and daughter of an Earl. Andrew's girls still are princesses of the UK and are HRHs but we've seen where they've both gone into working in the private sector rather than assume full time royal duties.

I've also noticed something recently that just might show a direction that is possibly being taken. We all read in the Duchess of Cambridge's thread how she recently chaired a meeting. It seemed like a totally unique thing. One event but included a good portion of patronages sponsored by William, Harry and Kate. Rugby Runners Training Day 2013 - IPF along with other patronages such as Virgin's.

Maybe this is to be the wave of the future for when Charles becomes King. His Prince's Trust will be merged with the Prince's Forum and other charities? More and more we're going to see royal patronages and charities umbrella'ed? I'm just surmising here.

This would give a good reason why Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie aren't actively creating their own royal patronages as working members of the BRF. I'm not saying that in the future they will not be needed but for right now, they're focusing on their own niche in the private sector and doing the charity work that means something to them on their own. We have seen them at quite a few functions for teenage cancer etc.

In this respect, I'd like to suggest that the girls are not being "forced" out or told they're not needed but perhaps are just sidelined from what we know now as traditional royal patronages as the BRF gears towards the day Charles becomes King and the whole system of royal patronages and charities are revamped. It wasn't too long ago that it was mentioned that Charles still had no idea of what would happen to the Prince's Trust once he became King. This is just all my one brain cell thinking of what COULD happen. :D
 
What I've wondered is how much of their role is the result of any slimming down and how much of it is because of their age.

Both Beatrice and Eugenie are younger and of a junior branch of the family. It could just be that they're being eased into a more royal role over time; right now they're not as needed because elder members are still active, and because they're young (Beatrice is 24, Eugenie 22) they have a much less active role. Their jobs in the private sector can be as easily seen as an equivalent to William and Harry's military careers, or Andrew's military career, or Edward's film career.
 
Beatrice and Eugenie have patranages now and do charity work now.

They aren't fulltime on the royal payroll and that will continue.

They won't be official representatives of the monarch but they have already officially represented the nation overseas - and The Queen ruled that those two days weren't official royal engagements.

Currently there are 15 adult royals who carry out some royal duties (I am including Alexandra even though she has done no official engagements this year).

Of those 2 are currently over 80, 2 are in their 70s, 5 are in their 60s, 1 in his 50s, 2 in their 40s, 2 in their 30s and 1 in his 20s. Last year they did over 4000 between them but that was a big year - so an average of 267 per royal or 1 per day for less then a school year (my school year runs at 280 days).

There is no reason why fewer royals couldn't still do 4000 between them e.g. an average of 330 per year (fewer than The Queen did last year aged 86) equas 12 royals and n 20 years there will probably still be 10 of the current working royals plus 1 for Harry's wife so they could still do as much work by working a little harder.

Currently the hardest worker in the family has made public appearances on 34 days since January 1 - that is 34 public working days out of 66 - or 1 day in 2 making a public appearance.

I am aware that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that needs to be done but it simply isn't true that they need the girls. What they need is for those others to do a little more.
 
I believe the girls will be needed to perform the minor role that Princess Alexandra has today.


A agree that they girls can do as much work as Alexandra has done in 2013 - as at the 7th March - the last date the CC is up to -- she has done nothing.
 
In 10-20 years, the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Gloucesters and the Kents, will be either dead or to old to be full-time working Royals.

Charles, Camilla, Andrew, Edward, Sophie and Anne, will be in their 80's and 60's.

Willam, Harry and their wives will certainly taking the burden of duties that the Queen's children perform today.

But, the minor roles Her Majesty's cousins have today will be too much to be taken only by William and Catherine, Harry and Wife. So, I believe the York Princesses will be need. Either the Queen or Charles will notice this fact, soon or later.


If Charles and Camilla are still going to be able to work why can't the Gloucesters? They are only a year or so older - Richard born 1944 is only 3 years older than Camilla and 4 than Charles, while his wife is only 1 year older than Camilla and 2 than Charles (and she does very little even now - hardly needed).

The Gloucester children, despite being the children of the 3rd son of George V are actually younger than the children of the fourth son and are closer in age to Charles than they are to his mother.
 
A agree that they girls can do as much work as Alexandra has done in 2013 - as at the 7th March - the last date the CC is up to -- she has done nothing.

Princess Alexandra will be 77 this year. Are you basing an entire life of official duties in what an old lady from a junior branch of the Royal Family has done in the first three months of the year?
 
No - I am saying that the York girls should be doing as much as she has done this year - nothing - they aren't needed at all.

The BRF is bloated and doesn't need 15 working members. 4 - 8 could easily do the job - if they actually worked hard when you realise how rarely they actually work e.g. Charles as worked on 33 days this year in public and yet he is the hardest worker in the family. I would love to only have worked 33 days and I always get all of January off due to school holidays.

If you know anything about the background to minor members of the family doing any work you would also realise that there is no need now for that to continue - in fact the opposite.

After 1936 is was important to repair the damage that the abdication did so 'all hands on deck' and all eligible members of the family were called to the coalface. After the war is was essential to raise people's spirits and that continued into the 50s so younger members who had expected quieter lives, such as Alexandra who wanted to be a nurse, were pressed into royal service instead. As the 80s and 90s unfolded and even more so since the British public questioned the costs of so many royals - after all now The Queen repays all the expenses of all but her own and Philip's expenses to the government so instead of the public supporting the extended family it is the monarch - that says a lot about the public's desires to have so many.

William and Kate will easily be doing 3-400 each in a couple of years and Harry is also the next to be called upon but even he will have another 15 years before being needed as he becomes less important to the future of the family - even later this year he moves from central to peripheral royal as the line moves away from him.
As the family rebrands itself for the future it is clear that the core family will work for The Firm and the periphery will support themselves - this will apply to Harry's children as well - not needed to work for The Firm but have real lives for themselves instead.
 
How can anyone compare the scale of work required by the BRF with that of (say) the Netherlands and Denmark. There are over 60 million people in the Uk, plus the other realms, plus the Commonwealth. It is completely different. Unless and until the expectations of the population changes, the BRF will need more than 4-8 active members.

I agree with that point. My other point is that the "slimming down" process is not unique to the British RF ... that's all!

Have I now made myself clear?:bang:
 
I agree with that point. My other point is that the "slimming down" process is not unique to the British RF ... that's all!

Have I now made myself clear?:bang:

You'll get a headache. Yes you have. :flowers:
 
I found something quite interesting with regard to the future role of Beatrice and Eugenie. This is from the Telegraph of 9 March:

QUOTE: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie won much attention with their recent trade mission to Germany, but they will not be taking on a more prominent role in public life, according to their mother.
“I am incredibly proud of my daughters. However, they are, and will be, working career girls,” says Sarah, Duchess of York at a reception to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her charity Children in Crisis.
“Beatrice has a full-time job in private equity and Eugenie is embarking on a number of postgraduate internships within the art world, where she wants to make a career.”

A lot of people have suggested that their parents are trying to push the Princesses into a public role, which doesn't seem to be the case from Sarah's statement.

Also, I'm intereted in the news about Eugenie doing internships in the art world - I wonder if anyone has more information on this? She has A-levels in art and History of Art, and a degree in History of Art (with Eng Lit), so it would seem to be a good use of her talents to go into this area.

I wonder if the long term plan would be for both of them to have full time (or more or less full time) jobs, but also to take on the occasional duty like Germany (I know this wasn't technically a "royal" duty), and of course their patronages like the Royal Orthopedic Hospital and Teenage Cancer Trust. Personally, I hope they do have a role in public life, as they seem to do such a good job (as in Germany or the various hospital visits).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9919611/Princess-Dianas-lover-James-Hewitt-suffers-closure-of-Spanish-business.html
 
As I understand it the plan is for them to have real jobs and be trotted out for the big events but not officially represent the monarch or the government, although the German visit was supposed to be officially representing the government. The Queen decided that it wasn't an official duty as it wasn't in the CC.

I see no need for them to be on the boring life of small talk with total strangers and am glad that they will get the chance to actually do something constructive with their lives.
 
I can the princesses having a role within the Firm in perhaps 10 years time after they have their own careers and have had families. But right now there are already too many working royals.

The 2 princesses and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent should al be advised to keep a lower profile and avoid controversy. They may be off the royal payroll but they still often create a headache for the Firm.
 
They may be off the royal payroll but they still often create a headache for the Firm.

More of a headache than the third in line on the front cover of worldwide newspapers naked? Also I don't believe you can put Eugenie and Beatrice in the same category as Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
 
I see no role for Beatrice and Eugenie - now or in the future. 10 years from now I suspect that they will be the hangers-on at events like Trooping the Colour or the occasional royal event.

By William's coronation it will be 'who are they'?
 
Hey why dont they follow The Duke of Kent's example..work for 10-20 years, and if need arises, they can always be inducted.
But by then the Palace PR should vigorously work towards removing the public perception that all Royals are paid for by them..
 
Different types of jobs.

A career in the military for men has always been the royal way - Andrew did 20 years in the navy as well.

Girls don't have that sort of opportunities in the royal family. These two girls have good degrees and should be using them.

In 20 years time they will be so peripheral to the royal family that they won't be wanted as people will simply be asking 'who are they again'? They will be the nieces or cousins of the monarch who have been out of the public eye as wives and mothers and with their own careers away from the royal structure. To then have to go into the goldfish bowl having had the freedom to be away from it would be very difficult and they won't be needed anyway.
 
:previous: If they wont be really needed, and if they wont be happy to come back into the goldfish bowl, then they can perfectly continue their careers..All will be happy..
 
How?

The girls are the children of the second son, not the fourth son as is Prince Michael.

One if not both of them will serve as Counsellors-of-State (that is able to sign legislation and carry out the role of the monarch) a position Michael never had as he was never the fourth adult over 21 whereas Beatrice will probably be in that position for some time (unless The Queen lives to at least 108 when the present unborn child will be 21 and can be a CoS - replacing Andrew. As there is a very good chance that that won't happen Beatrice will be a CoS for some years. Micheal, at the time of his birth was 8th in line to the throne and highest was 7th (from the death of his father until the birth of Charles). He continued dropping from then until his marriage when he was out of the line completely, a major reason for him not doing royal duties actually. His son is now 40th in line so he has dropped from top 10 to really minor relevance. Beatrice was born 5th and has remained there for over 20 years.
 
They are all seen as hangers on as they carry out no official duties yet are seem to be living the high life constantly. It is only recently that the Michaels and also the York princesses have been paying rent for their palaces.

They're not seen as hangers on, as you've just asked in another thread. They're royals, they live in palaces and they attend royal events. What else is exactly high about their life? Beatrice and Eugenie have done nothing more than what William, Henry, Zara and presumably Peter did at their age.
They're in their 20s, they go out on weekends and have fun, they have dinner in London when they can - what's the problem? Neither live of the taxpayer and The Queen is/was quite happy to keep both Kents and Yorks in her pocket. It is her money.
 
Well, both Princesses are just starting their adult lives. Princes William and Harry weren't working as Royals when they were studying or serving in the military.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie seems to want help the "Firm", perfoming Roayl duties.

Princess Beatrice accompanied the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Maundy Service last year. And the Princesses made a wonderful work in Germany, early this years. Both can be great additions to the group of full-time working Royals.
 
And the Princesses made a wonderful work in Germany, early this years. Both can be great additions to the group of full-time working Royals.

I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.
 
I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

They can contribute in a meaningful way by turning up and representing their grandmother and Uncle and the country who's monarchy they are part of. Whether it be now or in 20 years.
As for Andrew, in the time he was in the military he performed duties on behalf of his grandmother and of his own accord. Same as Charles, William and Henry have and are doing.
 
I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

It's clear that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will start to reduce their duties (the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Conrwall at the State Opening of Parliament is signal of that).

In the years to come, the Gloucesters and Kents will do the same. So, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will be necessary.
 
I can the princesses having a role within the Firm in perhaps 10 years time after they have their own careers and have had families. But right now there are already too many working royals.

The 2 princesses and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent should al be advised to keep a lower profile and avoid controversy. They may be off the royal payroll but they still often create a headache for the Firm.

You are very good at setting out a problem, as you see it but I'm waiting for the solution.

They are royal by birth, they do not carry out royal duties and their security is not paid for by the tax payer. They are trying to live their lives on their own, working in private organisations but the paps and media like the DM are hungry for royal news and stalk them.

What is your solution? It seems to me that you have one story and that is to complain. IMO The grandchildren of the monarch are not hangers on.
 
Beatrice and Eugenie didn't pay rent for the apartment at St James' because they were students and as soon as Eugenie left uni Andrew started paying the rent. That was always going to be the case - no rent while at uni but once out of uni then pay rent.

Michael and Marie-Christine didn't pay full rent because for many years the Queen paid it for them - since 1992 - when the public started to turn on the royals and the claim was made that only full-time working royals could live in a palace rent free, although neither William not Harry have to pay rent for their apartments/homes probably because they are in the military. That is also why Diana went back to work after annoucing she was going to stop - she didn't want to have to either leave KP or have to pay any rent for her apartment there.
 
I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

I agree with you.

The York girls should focus on building their careers and lives independent of The Firm for now. It may be that in time they be called up on by Charles, or possibly William, to carry out engagements on a full time basis, but for now they should just get on wiht their lives. They are obviously welcome to still support the BRF by attending the Trooping and select other events. Further, they can independently support any charities they may wish to.
 
I agree with you.

The York girls should focus on building their careers and lives independent of The Firm for now. It may be that in time they be called up on by Charles, or possibly William, to carry out engagements on a full time basis, but for now they should just get on wiht their lives. They are obviously welcome to still support the BRF by attending the Trooping and select other events. Further, they can independently support any charities they may wish to.

What I think will happen is that when Charles becomes King in a few years time Harry, Beatrice and Eugenie will become full time royals, as most of the Queen's own generation will no longer be working or otherwise no longer with us.

I still think it is unlikely that Edward's children will ever become working royals at all - although I like the model of children of younger children of the monarch not using Prince/ss titles from birth but having the option of choosing to use them later in life - I feel this would have been a better situation for Bea and Eug and also for Harry's future children.
 
I believe princesses who are not children of the monarch are not longer needed in a modern monarchy. In former times they were educated asa wifes of other Royals, to form blood bands between the countries surrounding their own - but where's the prince who might need or even want a marriage to one of the York princesses?

Plus I don't see the need for them to become working Royals - the media does not even report about the full-time working Royals of today apart from the most senior members of the family - the Wales' branch. The queen ended a lot of traditions of court life where the princesses could have found a place, so the only event where we will probably see them wearing a tiara or a princesses coronet will be their weddings when in former times even peeresses had to wear coronets on certain occasions. Well, maybe on Charles' coronation, but I'm not sure about that...

Okay, people who come to watch an event with Royal presence love it in general, but when it is not reported, it's only a nice thing for a few people, so why should the government shoulder the costs?

It's not as if the York girls come from a poor family, their grandmother has no problem to provide for them so whatever they decide to do with their lives, they can be sure to live in comfort. But why they should seek the Royal spotlight is beyond me. The media is not interested or even makes fun of them, they surely have a much better life when noone is much interested in them. Of course one will see them on occasions when the RF meets, for they are members - like going to chuch or attending Trooping the Colours etc. but beyond that they will fade in the background like the Michaels of Kent. IMHo, of course.

And this will give them the chance to lead their own life in pretty much every comfort they might crave.
 
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