Catherine, Princess of Wales, is stepping into a bigger role at Buckingham Palace. She’s now helping decide which royals will remain part of the working inner circle as King Charles III reshapes the monarchy to be smaller and more focused.
The big question is what happens to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, two fully titled princesses who aren’t currently part of the daily royal operation but still show up at major events. Their future inside the Palace is uncertain, and Kate’s voice will matter more than it ever has before.
The Shrinking Crown
For more than a decade, King Charles has pursued a smaller, tighter royal team. After Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back and Prince Andrew lost his public roles, the working core now has fewer than 10 senior royals. This represents one of the thinnest groups in modern royal history and a major shift from previous operations.
The Palace contends that having fewer royals means each one can focus more intensely on their responsibilities and deliver measurable results. Less payroll, more impact remains the governing theory. But for Beatrice and Eugenie, it means they’re watching from the outside, waiting to see if they fit into this slimmer picture or get left behind altogether.
Taxpayers and the media are asking harder questions about royal spending and why each royal matters. The Palace faces mounting pressure to justify why certain royals have staff, security, and a portion of public funding. This scrutiny hits extended family members hardest, individuals like Beatrice and Eugenie whose daily roles aren’t always obvious.
Titles Without Portfolios
Beatrice and Eugenie hold the title Her Royal Highness and the rank of princess because of a 1917 law created by King George V. Unlike Prince William or his children, though, they aren’t part of the small group of royals who work full-time for the Crown. They have their own jobs and support charities, but nobody knows if they’ll ever become official working royals.
As the monarchy gets leaner, their place inside the institution is less clear than ever. The Palace has kept them close enough to help when needed, but far enough away that decisions about their future seem temporary. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward said the princesses are being kept on ice, visible when the Palace needs them, but with no clear promise they’ll ever move into the core working team.
Recent reports describe Catherine as stepping up and taking on a more forceful role in Palace decisions. Sources say her thinking is astute and firm, and she’s now helping decide the future of royals including Beatrice and Eugenie. According to reports, Kate and William see streamlining the Crown as non-negotiable.
An insider told Heat Magazine that making changes without creating serious rifts will require sensitivity, which is where Kate is uniquely gifted. The source added that she has a gentle, peaceful public image, but is incredibly astute and unafraid to make firm decisions when needed, understanding that leadership requires a certain decisiveness.
The Andrew Shadow
Beatrice and Eugenie’s future is complicated by their father, Prince Andrew. In January 2022, Buckingham Palace stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages amid ongoing controversies. The scandal around him didn’t technically strip Beatrice and Eugenie of their Princess titles, but it cost them something just as important: a powerful sponsor inside the family who could advocate for expanding their roles.
With Andrew sidelined, the sisters lost a key voice arguing for their place in the modern monarchy. The Palace clarified his downfall didn’t affect his daughters legally, but in reality, losing their father’s influence made it harder for them to push for bigger public roles.
Royal commentators say King Charles cares about Beatrice and Eugenie after they went through difficult times because of their father’s scandals. He’s tried to be supportive by drawing them into projects like The King’s Foundation and giving them new charities to support. But even his goodwill has limits.
While their titles appear protected by law, other benefits may be affected. Reports suggest the Wales’s’ streamlining plan could reduce royal resources and support systems available to extended family members. These changes won’t happen overnight, but for Beatrice and Eugenie, every policy change could mean fewer resources. Titles may stay, but the perks that make being a royal comfortable are increasingly uncertain.
What Comes Next
Even without official working-royal status, both sisters have created meaningful public roles. Beatrice serves as deputy patron of Outward Bound and supports charities focused on dyslexia and youth programs. Eugenie co-founded The Anti-Slavery Collective and mentors young people through The King’s Foundation. Analysts see these roles as a trial model: real work that makes a difference without formally expanding the royal payroll.
Beatrice and Eugenie will almost certainly keep their princess titles. But whether they become indispensable to the monarchy under William and Catherine, or remain outside the core circle, is still an open question. With King Charles’s restructuring in progress and Kate’s influence growing, the next chapter of the royal family’s story will be written by decisions that aren’t being made in public. The York sisters are watching, waiting, and quietly working to prove they deserve a place at the table when the new reign begins.
Sources:
BBC News, “What kind of king will Charles be?”, 8 September 2022
Cosmopolitan UK, “Kate Middleton’s ‘savvy and firm’ decision-making to play major role in Eugenie and Beatrice’s future”, 16 December 2025
Cosmopolitan UK, “Kate Middleton reportedly just put Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in a very awkward position”, 25 November 2025
UK Parliament Library, “The Royal Family and the Monarchy”, 2013
Buckingham Palace, “Statement on The Duke of York”, 13 January 2022
Marie Claire, “Inside King Charles’ ‘slimmed-down’ monarchy and what it means for Beatrice and Eugenie”, 2024