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

[Grandma828]

I was under the impression that the princesses were living a private life. Beatrice has a job and Eugenie is looking for one. That spells private to me.

 

[Meadow]

I thought the same thing. I just can't seem them going off making a career starting a family etc then in 10 -15 years get told they need to change everything to become full time working Royals. It's different for Harry you can't put the girls in the same category. A lot depends on how things change under Charles then William and there will be changes.

 

[royal-blue]

I would like to see them fous on their own lives and careers and families etc and then in perhaps 5 to 10 years become full time working royals once they have established themselves. By then there will be probably be fewer working royals so there will be a place for the York girls.

 

[kalnel]

I don't have a strong opinion of whether they should or shouldn't be full-time royals now, but I can't see them "coming off the bench" in 10 or 15 years, unless they've been working at royal duties all along.

Apart from the titles, they're really in the same position as Sarah Armstrong-Jones and David Linley -- grandchildren of the monarch. Those two have never been full-time royals.

 

[Iluvbertie]

They are also in the same position as Princess Alexandra - grandchildren of the monarch with the titles of Princess - and she has been a full-time working royal all her adult life.

The decision seems to have been made that they won't be full-time working royals and that decision will, I assume, be for life. It would be totally unfair to say to them now - get a job and a life and live it - and then in 10 - 15 years time say - give up the life we allowed you to have as you now have to change tack.

 

[Ish]

I don't have a strong opinion of whether they should or shouldn't be full-time royals now, but I can't see them "coming off the bench" in 10 or 15 years, unless they've been working at royal duties all along.

Apart from the titles, they're really in the same position as Sarah Armstrong-Jones and David Linley -- grandchildren of the monarch. Those two have never been full-time royals.

They're actually not in the same position as Sarah and David - Sarah and David are grandchildren of the monarch without princely titles, more comparable to Peter and Zara than the Yorks. The expectation that the Yorks one day do full time royal duties is based on the fact that they, unlike their non-royal cousins, are royal.

They have done royal-esque duties, just not officially.

 

[rft]

I have a soft spot for when Prince Andrew claimed his daughters would be of great help to him. It works out to having a Princess Andrew and an additional royal - which is not one too many. So few of William and Harry's generation are interested in public duties, or have titles, the idea of having them fill in for the older gen is compelling.

But for the same reason, I find it difficult to see them bucking the trend of the Queen's grandchildren, turning away from public life. Their protection was taken away, and I think this decision would not have been made, if they were being considered for royal duties.

If Prince Charles is not supportive, I don't think the Queen will disregard his wishes for the future. Princess Anne and Prince Edward are not interested.

If they do not have long to wait until they're needed, there might a chance. If they've worked for 8 or more years, it won't be right to ask them back, especially if they're turned away now. Another thing is - whether the princesses are doing it for their father.

 

[royal-blue]

I've never really been a fan of the York girls, but I think their current situation is the right way to go - leading relatively normal working lives while "helping out" with royal goings on and having a few patronages of their own. As had been said before on here, their cousin Zara is a good role model to follow.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The difference with Zara and Peter Philips is that they aren't royal while Beatrice and Eugenie are.

The fact is that they aren't needed and won't be needed.

The stage has also been set for only the children of the heir and the heirs heir to be HRH Prince/Princess - so I would expect that Harry will follow Edward's lead and not have the HRH for his children (times were different in the late 80s, early 90s when the York girls were born compared to when Edward married and made the announcement that his children wouldn't be Princess/Prince.

 

[Lumutqueen]

The fact is that they aren't needed and won't be needed. .

I disagree, they aren't needed now but they might be needed in the future. Neither you nor I can predict the future.

 

[suztav]

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.

Well put! Their participation is going to be a necessity because, in the not-too-distant-future, there will be too many senior royals (QEII, DofE, the Gloucesters and Kents) who will be unable to be active to do age, etc ... The organizations and patronages they currently support will want the participation of a member of the royal family. I could see both Beatrice and Eugenie helping out in a very meaningful way.

They are both well-educated young women who show a great deal of respect for their grandmother and the family into which they were born.

I wish the Fergie-haters would go away and stop picking on these two young women.

 

[Iluvbertie]

If the Gloucesters are too old then so are Charles and Camilla - The Duchess of Gloucester is a year older than Camilla and the Duke two years older.

Richard born 44
Brigitte born 46
Camilla born 47
Charles born 48
Anne born 50

 

[sndral]

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?
.

I might add, that there are fewer and fewer potential royal spouses since so many royal dynasties have fallen. And by marrying Princes in other countries those British Princesses left Britain to live elsewhere and wouldn't have been available to perform royal duties in Britain anyway.
Out of curiosity I looked up the granddaughters of younger sons of recent kings/Queens of Britain.
Since Queen Victoria's time there have been eight male line granddaughters of the monarch (not counting Beatrice, Eugenie and Louse) of those eight, six married Princes or Grand Dukes. The two who didn't both married younger sons of British Earls. Most interesting to me was that when Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Patricia married the third son of an Earl - Alexander Ramsey, she relinquished her title as a British princess and style as a Royal Highness because she married a commoner. George V's granddaughter Princess Alexandra not only did not have to relinquish her title and style when she married the second son of an earl, but her husband was offered an earldom by Queen Elizabeth II, which he declined.
So precedents exist ranging from demanding that Beatrice and Eugenie relinquish their titles and styles should they marry commoners to offering their future spouses titles.

 

[royal-blue]

Would the York Princesses actually able to request to drop their titles if they so wished? (I am not suggesting they should).

Surely an Act of Parliament would be required?

 

[Excalibur]

Would the York Princesses actually able to request to drop their titles if they so wished? (I am not suggesting they should).

Surely an Act of Parliament would be required?

They wouldn't have to drop their titles altogether, they could just stop using them. In order to do this, they would most likely follow the example set by their Uncle Edward. Let HM know of their wishes, and then she would issue an announcement that from now on they would be known as daughters of an earl, i.e., Lady Beatrice Mountbatten-Windsor and Lady Eugenie Mountbatten-Windsor. No Act of Parliament required.

 

[Ish]

Would the York Princesses actually able to request to drop their titles if they so wished? (I am not suggesting they should).

Surely an Act of Parliament would be required?

They can chose to stop using the titles, similar to how the Duchess of Kent has chosen to stop using her titles in various forms - her formal title is HRH The Duchess of Kent, but she prefers to e called Katherine, Duchess of Kent (I'm not sure if the "the" is omitted intentionally or not), and in her private life she is Katherine Kent.

They can chose to not use royal titles at all and simply be the Ladies Beatrice and Eugenie Mountbatten-Windsor, with an announcement by HM that it is her wish they be known as such, similar to the situation with Louise and James.

Or new LPs could be issued removing them of their titles. These could be specific to the Yorks (or the Wessexes), or the individual, or they could be made a bit more broader and refer to HM's grandchildren as a whole. In 1917 the LPs issued stated that Prince(ess)s would only be HRHs and that they were restricted to the children of the monarch, the male line grandchildren, the eldest son of the eldest son of the heir apparent, and their respective wives, although the monarch reserved the right to create additional HRH Prince(ess)s when he/she felt the need to - as seen with the Queen's eldest children, Prince Philip, and now Prince William's children. The 1917 LPs removed styles from many more distant royal descendants, and if HM issued new LPs she could limit the HRH Prince(ess) to just the monarch's children and the heir apparent's children, removing the princely titles of the Yorks and Wessexes (and any future children of Harry's). There are some who believe that Charles should/will do this when he is king.

 

[NGalitzine]

They could simply follow the example set by HRH Princess Patricia of Connaught and voluntarily give up the HRH and Princess titles.

 

[AdmirerUS]

I might add, that there are fewer and fewer potential royal spouses since so many royal dynasties have fallen. And by marrying Princes in other countries those British Princesses left Britain to live elsewhere and wouldn't have been available to perform royal duties in Britain anyway.
Out of curiosity I looked up the granddaughters of younger sons of recent kings/Queens of Britain.
Since Queen Victoria's time there have been eight male line granddaughters of the monarch (not counting Beatrice, Eugenie and Louse) of those eight, six married Princes or Grand Dukes. The two who didn't both married younger sons of British Earls. Most interesting to me was that when Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Patricia married the third son of an Earl - Alexander Ramsey, she relinquished her title as a British princess and style as a Royal Highness because she married a commoner. George V's granddaughter Princess Alexandra not only did not have to relinquish her title and style when she married the second son of an earl, but her husband was offered an earldom by Queen Elizabeth II, which he declined.
So precedents exist ranging from demanding that Beatrice and Eugenie relinquish their titles and styles should they marry commoners to offering their future spouses titles.

I read this and thought - of the 8, how many had relatively happy married lives and how many not? Yes, I know the history of some. Granted, there are no guarantees, but I would rather see both these women marry a life partner than either a hot romance or a title.

 

[royal-blue]

Although it is my opinion that Bea and Eug should be offered the chance to become working royals in a few years time once they have established their own lives, if they don't choose to, then I would probably question whether they should be princesses at all.

For example, if the Queen's sister had been refused the chance to be a working royal and was encouraged to work for a living instead, people would no doubt question why she remained a princess or perhaps even why she was a princess in the first place.

 

[Osipi]

Although it is my opinion that Bea and Eug should be offered the chance to become working royals in a few years time once they have established their own lives, if they don't choose to, then I would probably question whether they should be princesses at all.

For example, if the Queen's sister had been refused the chance to be a working royal and was encouraged to work for a living instead, people would no doubt question why she remained a princess or perhaps even why she was a princess in the first place.

You do know that the title of Princess has absolutely nothing to do with what they do in life? You don't earn the title. You are born into it. Princess does not make you a peer. It means you are royal.

You talk of Margaret. We have to remember too that back then it was the civil list that paid her bills. Its all in retrospect and just MY opinion but a lot of the life Margo led seems to be on par with how her Uncle David lived.
Hedonism is a good word here.

When it comes to titles and HRH and what have you. Its not by the personal behavior or deeds done to the great and good.. its who you are by birth or marriage. A biological princess could be living in the gutters of NY 8x removed and not know it.

Beatrice and Eugenie are princesses of the blood royal. The blood is the same no matter what they do with their lives. They can not change being princesses like I can't grow to be 5'8 with legs to die for.

 

[Avicenna]

Thought, I'd post this Information here, too. After all it does affect her possible future role:

Independent Princess Eugenie goes it alone with auction house job in the U.S. | Mail Online

Eugenie will work full time for auction house paddle8 based in NY from October on. Wish her best of luck and lots of success.

 

[vkrish]

I hope she will not be paraded by her mother to all TV shows, society parties and get sucked up into that lifestyle.
Getting "real" jobs, though lowers the lifestyle/profile, definitely earns respect of public..

 

[Lumutqueen]

I hope she will not be paraded by her mother to all TV shows, society parties and get sucked up into that lifestyle.
Getting "real" jobs, though lowers the lifestyle/profile, definitely earns respect of public..

I believe the being paraded was Sarah's choice. Also we're not talking Hollywood here, we're talking New York with a firm full time job. Eugenie doesn't seem the type to mess around with her company.

 

[vkrish]

Just imagine how wonderful it will be if they go up in their careers on their own..slowly and consistently..that too in the US,

 

[Lumutqueen]

I don't think either girls will "make" their life in the US but it's a suitable start for them.

paddle8 is a virtual auction house, in 2013 is recieved a monetary boost from Damien Hirst, Alexander von Fürstenberg , Matthew Mellon, and Jay Jopling , owner of White Cube .

 

[sndral]

My interpretation of what the article actually said was that she would be in New York training for a short while and then return to London, but perhaps I misunderstood.

 

[cepe]

This is the original article from this morning

Princess Eugenie to go across the pond for fine art selling job | Royal | News | Daily Express

The Daily MAil has lifted it from the Express site. This is a positive, supportive article.

 

[Meadow]

It does sound like it's training for a little while then she will help when it starts in London. It could be good for her to work in another country and experience new things. It is a very positive article I'm a little surprised they have said where she will be working after it being such a secret where Beatrice works. I think there is a reason for that though Beatrice has taken more time off then is usually allowed so it probably has a link to the family in some way.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I don't think Beatrice has taken more time off at all - she has had a couple of days at Christmas/New Yea (normally when financial houses are shut anyway), two days in January/February for her trip to Berlin and it appears the last two weeks - so in total about 3 weeks so far since she started work and she is entitled to 6 weeks a year in the UK.

Most of the time when we see reports about her doing things they are on the weekends or at night - although I do think those facts are missed and people actually lose sight of the day of the week or the time of the year when she is seen. She is rarely seen between 9 and 5 on a weekday - when she would normally be at work. She has been seen on some days over the past two - three weeks due including the Coronation Service (1 day) a Friday and weekend in the South of France (1 more working day) and this week as Ascot and in Yorkshire.

 

[tommy100]

True, people assume that becuase they are in thepapersalot they mustnt be working but everyone has weekends and I'm sure the girls can afford to jet off somewhere relatively close (south of france for ecample) for a weekend or long weekend.
It may also be that Beatrice's job is not full time and that she only works 3 or 4 days a week anyway