A royal correspondent claims Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have achieved the royal role that Prince Harry originally wanted but was denied by the Royal Family
Robin Cottle Assistant Editor Trendswatch
15:32, 31 Dec 2025
The sisters both attended the Royal Family Christmas celebrations at Sandringham(Image: Getty Images)
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie possess “the thing that Prince Harry wanted” as they navigate a challenging year, according to a royal correspondent’s assessment. The year 2025 has witnessed their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor embroiled in successive scandals which ultimately resulted in the King’s brother being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles alongside his military honours.
This development placed Eugenie and Beatrice in an extremely awkward situation as they remain devoted to their father whilst continuing to enjoy King Charles’s favour.
Royal Correspondent for Five News, Simon Vigar, suggests they find themselves in a fascinating predicament because they operate as “half in half out” working royals – precisely the arrangement their cousin Harry originally desired.
During an appearance on the Sun’s Royal Exclusive podcast on YouTube, he remarked: “It’s been a devastating year for them. A devastating year for the girls I would have thought.
“They’re in an interesting position because they do public engagements, but they also have their private work and their private lives,” reports the Express.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have had a difficult year(Image: PA)
“They’re sort of half in half out, actually the thing that Harry wanted. Beatrice and Eugenie aren’t full time working royals, so they don’t quite have the public exposure that the others do.”
Simon continued by suggesting that both Beatrice and Eugenie will prove crucial to Prince William and Princess Kate once the heir to the throne ascends to kingship. It’s believed that William advocates for a more streamlined monarchy.
The royal correspondent noted: “It’s slimmed down all by itself hasn’t it, but they’re going to need help in the public jobs they do.”
When Harry and Meghan Markle initiated the Megxit process in January 2020, they expressed their intention to divide their time between the UK and North America, representing the monarchy on a limited basis.
However, their half-in, half-out plan was ultimately rejected by the Royal Family, leading to the announcement that they would no longer serve as working members of The Firm.
Prince Harry originally wanted to be ‘half in half out'(Image: Getty Images)
Speculation arose about Princess Beatrice’s Christmas plans, with some reports suggesting she might leave the UK with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their children – Sienna, four, and 11-month-old Athena.
In the end, both Beatrice and Eugenie journeyed to Sandringham to celebrate Christmas with the rest of the Royal Family, while it’s believed their father spent the festive period alone at Royal Lodge.
This unexpected turn of events surprised Royal experts, with the Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson commenting on the episode aired on Christmas Eve: “The King is very fond of Eugenie and Beatrice. And they’ve kept their HRH. And they’ve been insulated from the crisis.
“They are genuinely cared for. We believe that Beatrice won’t go to Royal Lodge to see Andrew for Christmas, but she also won’t go to see the King. She doesn’t want to look like she’s taking sides.”