Princess Beatrice 'torn' over loyalty to Prince Andrew – one key move will reveal how King really feels about brother
Princess Beatrice is often praised for her devotion to balancing her busy working life with her charitable duties. Even though she is not a working royal, the Princess is a keen supporter of a number of causes, chief of which is helping those with dyslexia as it is something she is very familiar with having been diagnosed herself during her school days.
The Princess, who is currently expecting her second child with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in early spring, is also a popular member of the Royal Family and is one of the Counsellors of State, meaning she can step in and perform minor duties on the monarch's behalf if he is ill, abroad or otherwise incapacitated.
Given her position as a trusted member within the family and how she remains close with her father, Prince Andrew, a leading royal expert has explained why the Princess would be perfectly placed to act as a mediator if it was ever needed.
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Referring to the Duke of York's ongoing dispute over his home at Royal Lodge and how King Charles reportedly hopes to have his brother relocate to nearby Frogmore Cottage, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond exclusively told OK!: "You have to feel for Beatrice. She must be so torn between loyalty to the Crown and loyalty to her father. And yes, she could be an effective mediator, if one is needed.
"What we don’t know is quite how things actually stand between Charles and Andrew. Thus far, despite the obvious tensions over Royal Lodge, the brothers have shared family time together at Windsor and Sandringham."
Explaining what the one tell-tale sign of a deep rift between King Charles and Prince Andrew will be, Jennie adds: "It will be interesting to see if he and Sarah are included in the Christmas gathering this year. If they are absent, it will tell us much about the state of their relationship.
"Perhaps Beatrice can persuade her dad that Frogmore Cottage is really rather lovely, and his life could be a whole lot easier if he moved there."
Jennie's comments come after a busy week for the Princess as she undertook an engagement in Abu Dhabi last Sunday when she attended an AI and Energy for a Sustainable Future meeting. And, just 24 hours later the royal was back in the UK to attend a The King's Foundation event on Monday.
The appearance marked Princess Beatrice's inaugural involvement with The King's Foundation, as she explored the exhibition celebrating a decade of pioneering textiles education.
The exhibition, inspired by the King, showcases the Foundation's commitment to addressing skills gaps within the UK fashion and textiles industry through dedicated education and training programmes.
When King Charles acceded to the throne in 2022, the list of those who could deputise for him was altered and introduced Queen Camilla, as well as Princess Beatrice. The others who can step up are: The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Princess Royal.
The King made the unusual move to add his sister and youngest brother to the list after Prince Andrew and Prince Harry stepped back from their roles. The Royal Family website explains: "By law, Counsellors of State include the Sovereign's spouse and the next four people in the line of succession who are over the age of 21.
"Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign, for example, attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom."
While Queen Camilla could lose her role if she outlives King Charles, there is a precedent for her holding the position for life as the Regency Act 1953 made the Queen Mother a Counsellor of State, despite no longer being the wife of a sovereign. Princess Beatrice, on the other hand, will likely lose her role when Prince George turns 21 as he will replace her as one of the four people of age in the Line of Succession.
