Royal News and Views

Royal News and Views
[ Royal News and Views ]

Surely it's time to see more of popular Beatrice, Eugenie and Lady Louise?

Posted by Susan T on April 4, 2024, 1:14 pm

Richard Eden continues to ride his favorite hobby horse.

Obviously, he never checks the YouGov polls if he thinks Beatrice and Eugenie are popular.

YouGov 2024 Q1

Daily Mail

Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Susan T on April 4, 2024, 1:26 pm, in reply to "Surely it's time to see more of popular Beatrice, Eugenie and Lady Louise?"

That hobby horse is getting crowded.

The "experts" never say exactly what duties they could perform. If any organization were interested in them as patrons, and they were willing to support that organization, it would have happened already. A person, not even a royal person, does not have to be a working royal in order to accept a patronage.

And everybody seems to have forgotten the late Queen's stance: You can't be half-in and half-out.

Link: Daily Mail

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Karen on April 4, 2024, 1:55 pm, in reply to "Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

Princess Beatrice is the patron of Forget Me Not Children's Hospice, which supports children with life-shortening conditions in West Yorkshire and North Manchester. She is also patron of the York Musical Society and patron of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, a charity that she credits with helping her overcome her own academic challenges resulting from dyslexia. Beatrice is also an ambassador for the charity Made By Dyslexia.

Princess Eugiene along with her sister Princess Beatrice is Patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust and also Patron of the Coronet Theatre, the European School of Osteopathy, the Tate Young Patrons and, alongside her mother, the Elephant Family, of which the King and Queen, are joint presidents.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Susan T on April 4, 2024, 2:22 pm, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

Yes, I know they have patronages even though they are not working royals. The media reports on their appearances for those charities.

That's the point. A person doesn't have to be a working royal in order to do charity work. The work they do isn't less meaningful because it doesn't get mentioned in the court circular.

The fact that there's a long list of charities which do not have royals as patrons is not a reason to add more working royals or a reason to expect Beatrice and Eugenie to quit their jobs and become dependent upon Charles to pay for their living expenses. And if any of those charities wanted Beatrice or Eugenie to represent them, they would have asked them to.

And I don't understand how having Beatrice and Eugenie take on vacant patronages helps lighten Charles's, William's or Catherine's workload. It's not as if either woman could meet with representatives of the Duchy of Cornwall, the Earthshot Prize, Catherine's Early Childhood Years, or whatever Charles's Prince's Trust is now called.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by karenl on April 4, 2024, 7:41 pm, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

In all the years since Beatrice and Eugenie have reached adulthood, the media has put out stories of both young women and their charities/interests. There was the story many,many years ago about the sisters, "approaching the Queen in order to be allowed more Royal Duties." The story ran for a bit and then dropped except for an occasion mention in an article on one or the other sister.
Both women got jobs and then married and had children. They have their own lives, do they really want to take on Royal duties full time, now? Eugenie, as far as I'm aware still has a home in Portugal (with her family) and would have to commute back and forth. The media only ramped up their concerns after Charles became King and then it increased after the recent events. It's another case of the media "instructing/demanding" what the King should do.
Louise is only 20 and she's at University, that's her priority right now. It's going to be up to her, her parents...and the King if she has an increased Royal role.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Susan T on April 5, 2024, 10:32 am, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

There have been some articles reporting that friends of the York sisters say Beatrice and Eugenie are annoyed that they haven't been asked to become working royals.

The media doesn't get that charity patronages aren't assigned by throwing the names of working royals into a hat and then picking one out. The royal has to be interested in the work done by the charity and the charity has to want to be represented by that particular royal.

Journalists would be squawking very loudly if editors used that method to decide who would report on what for a particular day.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Martha on April 5, 2024, 12:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

I don't know who the "friends" are, but the younger Yorks have such proximity to the disgraced Yorks that it's an unneeded risk to put them on the rota. Can you imagine if Fergie or Andrew wanted to come along on an appearance, unannounced? Fergie will do almost anything for attention and Andrew has been chomping at the bit to get back to royal duties.

Besides, do the princesses really want to put themselves and their families in the firing line for additional public scrutiny? They have more freedom and security right now than if they were touring about shaking hands and having tea with local dignitaries. I have no doubt they'd do an excellent job taking over many of the local duties, but there's nothing to suggest that they actually want to or have requested the opportunity. It appears to be the press trying to whip up a story.

===

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by karenl on April 5, 2024, 7:18 pm, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

I think it was Susan that mentioned this when the press brought up the subject before. The press may not be that interested in Beatrice and Eugenie filling in for the Senior Royals or the number of patronages in disarray. The press is more interested in younger Royals for their outfits, make-up, jewelry, and their hair styles. For the press it's more of a fashion display.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Susan T on April 5, 2024, 7:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

And the more they see of the two York princesses, the easier it is for them to disparage them, along with their father and mother.

If the media was interested in reporting on royal visits to charities and other organizations, they would spend more time reporting on the current batch of working royals. Instead, they generate a dozen or so articles every time the Californian duo sneeze, and then complain that they have overshadowed William or Charles or whoever and stolen the limelight.

Unless the twosome have come into a hell of a lot of money, purchased all the tabloids in the UK, and are now in the position to dictate what is reported, the people giving them the limelight are the very people who spend so much time complaining that they are in the limelight.

An even more ridiculous suggestion

Posted by Susan T on April 6, 2024, 11:26 am, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

As if the DM is determined to prove what you wrote, they have provided us with a long list of younger descendants of George V.

Because nations everywhere are just clamoring for a visit from Lady Amelia Windsor to further strengthen their ties with the UK.

Link: Daily Mail

Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion

Posted by karenl on April 6, 2024, 8:54 pm, in reply to "An even more ridiculous suggestion"

The DM can post it's "wish list", but it won't happen. If Beatrice and Eugenie weren't given more Royal Duties by QUEII and her son, now the King hasn't overridden his late mother's decision, the list of "younger Junior Royals" aren't going to be tapped. All of these young women and men have careers. The public wouldn't be too fond of an increased list of Royals performing Royal Duties. If you read the comments, more are bringing up the King's wish for slimmed down Monarchy while others are bemoaning the "costs".

Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion

Posted by Carolyn on April 7, 2024, 5:08 am, in reply to "Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion"

Did Anne discuss with the Queen that her children wouldn't have titles and duties or did she decide on her own? What if the Queen had said no, they must be active Royals. Would that have happened?

I don't see any of the "Junior Royals" giving up their careers.

Re: Anne's family

Posted by Nellie on April 7, 2024, 5:25 am, in reply to "Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion"

By those oft quoted Letters Patent, Princess Anne's offspring would not be HRH or Prince or Princess.
But the late Queen did offer an Earldom (I think it was) for Captain Mark Phillips which would mean their offspring would be titled as for children of an Earl. Not royal.
Princess Anne turned down that offer.

Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion

Posted by Karen on April 7, 2024, 6:17 am, in reply to "Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion"

Since the 1917 Letters Patent only allowed titles to pass from Father to Son Peter and Zara have no titles. When the then Princess Anne married Mark Phillips he declined the offer of an Earldom from the Queen. As he did not take the Earldom, when their children were born with no titles. The Princess Royal has said: "I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles, so I think that was probably the right thing to do." and Zara has also said:"From my point of view, I was obviously very lucky that my mother didn't give us any titles so I really commend her on that. We were very lucky that we got to do it a bit our own way."

Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion

Posted by Carolyn on April 7, 2024, 10:06 am, in reply to "Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion"

Another question. Princess Alexandra, whose father was the Duke of Kent, carries out Royal duties. Why don't Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as daughters of the Duke of York do the same?

Princess Alexandra

Posted by Karen on April 7, 2024, 10:39 am, in reply to "Re: An even more ridiculous suggestion"

At the time of the late Queen's accession to the throne on 6th February 1952 the line of succesion was, 1. Prince Charles who was 3 years old, 2. Princess Anne who was 1 year old, 3. Princess Margaret 21 years old, 4. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester 51 years old, 5. Prince William of Gloucester 10 years old, 6. Prince Richard of Gloucester 7 years old, 7. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent 16 years old, 8. Prince Michael of Kent 9 yearsold, 9. Princess Alexandra of Kent 15 years old.

Of the people listed only 2 were adults, 2 were teenage agers and 5 were 10 years old and under. Both the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra had to step into assist the Queen, while still being at school.

In the late 1980s when Beatrice and Eugiene were born, through the 1990s and into the 2000s. There were enough people to carry out royal duties. It was decided by the late Queen that the York Princesses should be allowed to live private lives. The King has decided to honour that decision.

Things were different in the 1950s to now.

Re: Princess Alexandra

Posted by Carolyn on April 7, 2024, 11:40 am, in reply to "Princess Alexandra"

So who does Royal duties is up to the monarch.

I've had an interest in the Royal Family since I had paper dolls of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose. Included were the dresses they wore to George VI's coronation I was surprised to see how small they were when I saw them displayed in London on a trip a few years ago.

What got me hooked was Marion Crawford's book which was published when I was in high school. I watched Elizabeth's Coronation on black and white TV.

There have been so many changes, but I think there will always be a Royal Family in the UK.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by JohnW on April 4, 2024, 7:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

The Dukes and Duchesses of Edinburgh and Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and the Princess Royal are unlikely to meet with representatives of the Duchy of Cornwall, the Earthshot Prize, Catherine's Early Childhood Years, or whatever Charles's Prince's Trust is now called. And yet they are still playing essential roles in support of The King.

As for The late Queen's pronouncements on part-time or half in/half out, I regard that as referring to commercial activities, which was a central plank in the Sussex's proposal. The Duke of Kent is clearly part-time, and has been for some time. Ditto Princess Alexandra (unless she has announced her retirement without my noticing). And in any case, what is part-time when it comes to being a working royal? Are we talking about something as easily measured as a 40 hour week?

The current number of working royals is insufficient to cover the duties that are traditional for the British Royal family in the UK, let alone the other realms, where their (often unobtrusive) presence is essential for the preservation of monarchies in them.

If Beatrice and, eventually, James and Louise, want to support the firm officially there are great benefits to their doing so.

As for their then being supported by The King, he supports working royals through a appanage provided for that purpose by the State. He does not draw on his personal fortune to do so.

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Cynthia on April 5, 2024, 10:20 am, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

I thought Elizabeth reimbursed the Grant from her Lancaster funds, in the years after they reshuffled the way the Sovereign Grant was allocated (QEII, DofE, QEQM). Do we know if Charles is continuing that practice?

Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up

Posted by Susan T on April 5, 2024, 10:56 am, in reply to "Re: Time for Beatrice and Eugenie to step up"

From the Royal website:

Privy Purse and Duchy of Lancaster
This is a historical term used to describe income from the Duchy of Lancaster, which is used to meet both official and private expenditure by The Queen.

The Duchy of Lancaster is a portfolio of land, property and assets held in trust for the Sovereign in his/her role as Sovereign. It is administered separately from the Crown Estates.

Its main purpose is to provide an independent source of income, and is used mainly to pay for official expenditure not met by the Sovereign Grant (primarily to meet expenses incurred by other members of the Royal Family).

There's also a section regarding the Sovereign's personal wealth and income.

royal finances

Normally, there shouldn't be any occasion to reimburse the Sovereign's Grant (notable exception being the costs for renovating Frogmore Cottage), because the people administering the Sovereign's Grant wouldn't be disbursing funds for expenses not covered by the Grant. The monarch would pay non-Grant covered expenses directly from the Duchy of Lancaster income or from their private income and wealth.

Link: Framework agreement relating to the Sovereign Grant

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