Prince William has made no secret of his plans to “change” the monarchy when he becomes king. He’s been quietly – or, perhaps, not so quietly – advising his father, King Charles, behind the scenes regarding matters like the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s titles. And now, it has been suggested he is casting a wider net by banning certain family members from this year’s Royal Ascot event.
It was recently reported by The Mirror that William “completely blindsided” Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie by banning them from Royal Ascot, due to take place in June of this year. Reacting to this, royal expert Andrew Lownie said on his podcast yesterday that it’s a sign William is “calling more of the shots now.”
Beatrice and Eugenie have kept a pretty low profile since their father’s unprecedented arrest earlier this year. He was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in a public office following the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The former Duke of York was released after 12 hours pending an investigation, and has always denied any wrongdoing. That said, Eugenie subsequently stepped down as patron of charity Anti-Slavery International, a role she held for seven years.
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“I think the decision to ban them from Ascot is interesting,” royal biographer Andrew suggested, pointing to how this is all part of William’s plan to overhaul public opinion on the monarchy. “I think it is a very clear indication that the Royal Family either know something or suspects something, and they therefore feel the need to distance themselves from the daughters.”
But it’s not just the York sisters who are caught up in William’s reshaping of the monarchy. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s future within the fold is at risk as well. “There’s definitely a change going on, and I get the sense also that there’s a bit of distancing even from the Sussexes, clearly from the Waleses,” he claimed.
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Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK’s freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.