King Charles III has reportedly issued a firm directive to his nieces, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, as part of his continued efforts to modernize and slim down the British monarchy.
The King is said to have made it clear that both princesses must now finance their own lives without relying on royal privileges or taxpayer support.
A Shift Away from Subsidised Royal Benefits
According to royal author Robert Johnson, King Charles has instructed Beatrice and Eugenie to “stand on their own two feet and pay their own way.” This decision forms part of a broader review of Crown-funded housing and perks that have long been extended to non-working royals.
Johnson, whose upcoming book The Windsor Legacy explores the King’s reform agenda, revealed that the monarch’s “explicit instructions” came amid growing frustration about subsidised royal residences still occupied by extended family members.
Currently, Princess Beatrice resides at St James’s Palace, while Princess Eugenie maintains a cottage within Kensington Palace for her visits to London. Johnson said both have been living in “subsidised accommodation” paid for by the Crown, a privilege the King reportedly views as outdated.
“Indeed, several members of the extended Royal Family have continued to enjoy subsidised accommodation, with some allowing their apartments to be used by their children as London pads,” Johnson told The Mail.
A Tougher Approach to Royal Housing
A close friend of the monarch compared the situation to “a hotel, and not a very good one,” while another insider said bluntly: “The King isn’t running a housing association for distant relatives.”
Reports suggest that Charles, who turns 77 next week, is considering reclaiming several royal properties — including those used by Beatrice and Eugenie — and leasing them at full market rates to approved private tenants.
The move echoes his earlier decision to reclaim Frogmore Cottage from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The Crown Estate property, originally gifted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2018, was taken back after Prince Harry published his memoir Spare in 2023.
“The message is clear: no freeloaders in the modern monarchy,” Johnson stated.
Maintaining Family Bonds Amid Change
Despite his firm stance, the King is said to remain affectionate toward his nieces and is “very keen” to ensure that their royal titles, as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth II, remain protected.
Though Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, are not working royals, both continue to support charities and occasionally represent the family at official events.
Beatrice lives in the Cotswolds with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, their daughters Sienna, three, and Athena, ten months, as well as Mozzi’s son Christopher Woolf, nine. Eugenie splits her time between Portugal, where she lives with her husband Jack Brooksbank, and London, visiting the UK for family occasions with their sons August, four, and Ernest, two.
Professionally, Beatrice works as a private equity analyst, while Eugenie serves as a director at the contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
Ongoing Struggles with Family Legacy
Royal commentator Josh Rom told Sky News Australia’s Gabriella Power that the sisters have faced ongoing difficulties due to their parents’ association with the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
“Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, it must be so tough for them,” Rom said. “They are completely innocent; they’ve had absolutely nothing to do with it. They have no responsibility over their parents — they’re just trying to get on with their lives, their own careers … this must be deeply embarrassing for them.”
As King Charles continues to reshape the monarchy into a leaner and more accountable institution, Beatrice and Eugenie’s situation underscores the changing expectations for younger royals in a modern age.
