Reflections from King Charles’ appointment of Princess Beatrice as key institute’s royal patron

Princesses of York, Beatrice and Eugenie, have not only retained their titles but have also been welcomed into the royal fold with open arms since their parents, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, were stripped of their status within the family.

On November 7, the elder princess made her public return for the first time since scrutiny about the former Duke and Duchess of York’s scandalous association with Jeffrey Epstein renewed this year — Beatrice has been appointed Deputy Patron of The Outward Bound Trust, a youth-centred charity, in the presence of her youngest uncle, Prince Edward.

Amid King Charles’ formal removal of her father’s status as a prince, what does his apparent decision for Princess Beatrice really signify?

The law of inheritance

It is crucial to highlight that Beatrice has actually inherited her latest role from her father — ex-Prince Andrew used to be Outward Bound’s patron six years ago. Though he retained the position for only seven months, inheriting it from his father, Prince Philip, and forced to give it up when his partnership with Epstein first surfaced in 2019.

Beatrice’s appointment in a role which was once entrusted in the care of her father confirms the ardent support of the King and by extension, the royal establishment, for a member of the family who is not seen as a collaborator in her father’s sins.

Moreover, the organisation’s focus on young people further establishes the Princess of York’s character under a positive light as the move illustrates confidence in her commitment to the responsibility which Andrew, due to his alleged crimes, can no longer be relied upon.

Prince Edward’s role

Prince Edward accompanying his niece at the event is an important marker due to his own inheritance — the youngest Mountbatten Windsor sibling succeeded his father’s title as the Duke of Edinburgh, consigning another of his roles to Beatrice, the late royal’s granddaughter.

The elder princess

Though Princess Eugenie, the youngest of Andrew’s daughters, is still missing from the public eye, her elder sister’s reemergence in a new and major role demonstrates who between the two may become more important as time escalates.

Adhering to strict principles of inheritance, the fact that the Crown has chosen to reinstate Princess Beatrice before her younger sibling proves that she has truly earned her place in the system — falling in line with the same decree as everyone else within it.