Prince Charles had dreams of trimming down the number of working royals once he is the monarch to just his immediate family. However, since there are now three inactive senior royals, after Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Andrew stepped back on their royal roles, reports revealed that Queen Elizabeth decided to call on Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie to step in and carry out public engagements to represent Her Majesty.
According to Daily Mail, Prince Charles didn't actually object to the Queen's decision despite previously opposing the idea that more royal family members must be active in their charity work. However, the Prince of Wales is said to be content and satisfied with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie getting more royal roles soon because there are spaces to be filled.
Aside from Prince Harry, Meghan and Prince Andrew, some royal family members, such as the Queen's cousins, are too old to keep serving the public on behalf of Her Majesty. If they are retiring this year then the roster of working royals will be further slimmed down.
Besides, a family friend close to Prince Charles said that he is quite fond of his nieces. As such, the Prince of Wales will not oppose the idea that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie should get more royal duties.
The York princesses actually do go to royal engagements but only if these are directly tied to their father Prince Andrew's work. They have not been doing more official work on behalf of Queen Elizabeth since Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie also have full-time jobs.
Princess Beatrice works as a business consultant and executive for the New York firm Afiniti and often has work-related trips to America and other parts of the world. Princess Eugenie is the director of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in London.
Though Buckingham Palace has not yet made any announcements regarding the changes in the princesses' roles, royal biographer Robert Lacey thinks that this is next most logical step.
In an interview with Hello! Lacey said that there won't be a new generation of working royals until 15 years from now, when Prince George and his siblings become adults. Thus, it makes sense for Lacey for the royal family to expect Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie to step it up. Some royal observers think that the Queen will make things official after the wedding of Princess Beatrice to Edo in May 2020.