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Prince William’s warm greeting for Princess Beatrice at the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling has sparked fresh debate among royal commentators about the current dynamics within the monarchy.
The Prince of Wales appeared keen to maintain a close and friendly relationship with his cousin as the family gathered in Kemble, Gloucestershire, for the wedding celebrations.
The appearance came shortly after reports surrounding a National Audit document claimed that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie had not paid rent while living in royal properties despite not carrying out official royal duties and having independent careers and wealthy spouses.
The York sisters have largely stepped back from the spotlight in recent years following controversy linked to their parents, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, particularly after the fallout surrounding Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein.
READ MORE: William and Kate Turn Heads With Elegant Arrival at Peter Phillips’ Wedding
Royal author Tom Sykes claimed William’s public affection toward Beatrice reflected King Charles III attempting to reinforce unity within the family.
Sykes said: “Yesterday was an expression of Charles pulling power back. This is what Charles wanted to see yesterday.”
He added: “William was making it clear that he is a loyal servant and will ultimately go along with what his father wants, per the military foundational structures of the Royal Family.”
Meanwhile, royal expert Tom Bower reportedly took a different view, telling the Daily Mail that public displays of warmth toward the York sisters were “not clever PR” and suggesting that any reconciliation should happen privately rather than publicly.
Writing in The Royalist, Tom Sykes argued that many members of the public are frustrated by ongoing support for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie amid controversy surrounding royal finances and privilege.
He wrote: “In the real world, people are very angry about the treatment given to these two sisters, whom they regard as grifters and freeloaders from a family with a long history of grifting and freeloading.”
Meanwhile, author Tom Bower said King Charles III should remain conscious of the monarchy’s public image when it comes to the York sisters.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Bower said: “Undoubtedly, it would be wrong to forbid the sisters to attend family weddings, especially if invited by their cousin. And, once present, how can any civilised Briton not expect the Prince of Wales to greet his relative? That would be hugely discourteous and uncivilised.”
However, he added that public displays of affection should be more restrained: “The solution would be to restrict shows of affection to areas beyond the cameras. In public, the sisters should remain at a distance from any controversial encounter.”
Bower further claimed: “Both Beatrice and Eugenie need to accept that, right or wrong, they are tainted by their parents’ vulgar greed.”
He continued: “The Royal Family needs to consider its tainted image. Embracing the sisters in public is not clever PR. Kissing them arouses unease.”
Bower agreed with Sykes that some people would react negatively to the sisters appearing warmly welcomed so soon after reports about their alleged rent-free living arrangements.
“Many will be appalled that in the same week that the sisters were exposed as living rent-free in a royal palace they were welcomed into the royal fold,” he said. “And the critics are right. It does look bad.”
Others, however, argued that Prince William has always maintained a close bond with his cousins and does not hold them responsible for controversies involving Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
Royal author Phil Dampier told the Mail: “The King and Prince William have always been very fond of Beatrice and Eugenie and don’t blame them for the sins of their parents.”
He added: “The way they were warmly greeted at Peter Phillips’s wedding shows they are still very much in the family fold and I’m sure they will still be invited to Sandringham at Christmas and other events.”
Dampier also revealed a childhood nickname used by William and Prince Harry for Beatrice: “When they were young William and Harry used to jokingly call Beatrice ‘Queen Bea’ as she could potentially have come to the throne if some tragedy had befallen them before they had children.”
“They’ve always had a good relationship and William’s kiss showed the affection between them,” he concluded.
The sisters’ appearance at the wedding came just hours after renewed reports claimed Queen Elizabeth II and later King Charles III had privately subsidised them for years.
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Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker, a long-time critic of royal finances, reacted strongly to the revelations, saying: “The Royal Family is yet again taking the public for a complete ride.”
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie reportedly lived at St James’s Palace from 2008, before Eugenie moved to Ivy Cottage in 2018.
Eugenie, now 36, is said to divide her time between London and a £3.6 million home in Portugal, where neighbours reportedly include Formula One drivers and designer Christian Louboutin.
Meanwhile, Beatrice, 37, is understood to have remained in the St James’s Palace apartment with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and their family, while also owning a multimillion-pound property in the Cotswolds.
According to the report, the sisters’ housing costs are allegedly covered privately by King Charles III through the Privy Purse, funded by income from the Duchy of Lancaster and other personal funds rather than directly by taxpayers.
However, the royal residences themselves are maintained through public funding via the Sovereign Grant, which critics argue effectively means the costs are indirectly subsidised.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace responded by saying: “We are grateful to the National Audit Office for this report, which is in line with The Royal Household’s commitment to transparency.”
The statement added: “We hope that the findings will help correct, clarify or contextualise a number of points regarding royal properties.”
The Palace also stressed that housing arrangements vary depending on “location, tenants and purpose” to ensure royal properties are used appropriately.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for The Crown Estate stated that lease agreements involving members of the royal family had been arranged “in line with independent, professional advice and open market valuations.”
