For many, Britain’s royal family holds prestige, popularity, and high self-esteem, supported by longstanding traditions, glamorous public conduct, and a reputation for extensive charitable work.
As one of the most recognized royal families in the world, the family makes headlines with nearly every public appearance. From long-standing conspiracy theories to the latest rumors surrounding younger members of the royal family, attitudes towards the monarchy remain mostly positive.
Nearly six in ten Britons favor the royal family, with the late Queen Elizabeth II leaving a robust legacy as a widely revered monarch of the House of Windsor. Her reign ended with her passing at age 96 in 2022. King Charles III ascended the throne at age 73 in 2022, becoming the oldest person to do so.
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While fans of the British royal family hope King Charles III enjoys a long and successful reign, but he will not remain on the throne forever. In the future, his eldest son, William, Prince of Wales, will succeed him.
Now, what might change when Prince William and Princess Kate take on their roles? While major family members will receive their designated titles and roles accordingly, let us explore how things might change for Princess Beatrice, a close cousin of Prince William.
Currently, Princess Beatrice is reportedly struggling to manage her professional and personal commitments since her father, Prince Andrew, was stripped of his titles. Despite the controversies surrounding Andrew, both sisters have retained their titles and the honorific “Her Royal Highness.”
Princess Beatrice and her sister, Princess Eugenie, continue to receive support from the royal household and their cousin, William.
Like Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie, William and Beatrice share similar life struggles and backgrounds. Both are firstborn children with a strong sense of responsibility, and their fathers, King Charles and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have been involved in public scandals that damaged the royal reputation. Moreover, Prince Andrew’s reputation further deteriorated when his ties to Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced.
Meanwhile, Prince William’s father, Charles, had his fair share of struggles in his marriage with the late Princess Diana, which began to crumble amid jealousy, insecurity, reports of infidelity, and media scrutiny.
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Princess Diana and Charles divorced when Prince William was 14. This followed the highly publicized affair between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and the intense tabloid scrutiny of that period.
Despite these family challenges, reports say William and Beatrice have remained on good terms. Royal commentators suggest that when William becomes king, he may include Beatrice in his working circle.
Although Beatrice is not an official working royal, she has attended several philanthropic events and gatherings. She is also a Counsellor of State, meaning she can act on behalf of King Charles III if he is unable to perform official duties due to illness or travel.
In November last year, at the King’s Foundation 35th-anniversary event, popular royal author Ingrid Seward suggested that both Beatrice and Eugenie would likely take on more charitable and supportive roles rather than major central figures who maintain a constant public presence.
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“They have always been close to William, and the king is very fond of them too. I see them taking on the sort of role that Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Kent had when they were younger, working very hard doing philanthropic work, but not taking center stage,” Seward said.
As future monarch, William will have the authority to grant titles, honors, and patronages, and decide which relatives attend royal events. Currently, Beatrice is ninth in line to the throne after her father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but given his arrest, the future order of succession remains uncertain.
On March 27, 2025, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles was briefly hospitalized due to the treatment’s side effects during his battle with cancer. William and Kate remain aware they may be called upon sooner than expected to be the next King and Queen of England.
