Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Face Backlash After Living Rent-Free in Palaces for Years While Performing No Royal Duties and Enjoying Jetset Lifestyles
Princesses' Beatrice and Eugenie appear to be feeling the wrath.
June 5 2026, Published 12:45 p.m. ET
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are facing a huge backlash for living in palaces for years rent-free, without performing any royal duties, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Disgraced Andrew Windsor's two daughters have been secretly subsidized for decades by their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and now by their uncle, King Charles.
King Charles has ensured their deal with the late Queen Elizabeth has been maintained after her death.
And that's despite having their own careers, high-flying husbands, and multimillion-dollar homes of their own elsewhere, which is bound to spark questions about why they could not pay their own way.
Insiders claim the arrangement for Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 36, was put in place during the reign of the Queen, who was very fond of her granddaughters, and the King had agreed to honor it.
Prince William is rumored to be upset his cousins have been afforded such privilege, despite being non-working royals.
Prince William's Bid To Remove Sisters' Privilege
Princesses' Beatrice and Eugenie's cozy living arrangements may end when Prince William becomes King.
When he becomes king, William wants to introduce a "slimmed down" monarchy whereby these sorts of arrangements with particular royals on the fringes will end.
A source told The Daily Mail: "William loves his cousins but firmly believes that only 'working royals' should receive the benefits of being members of the Royal Family."
Radar previously told of William's plans to phase out the sisters, especially after they became embroiled in their father's Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Although neither Beatrice nor Eugenie has been accused of wrongdoing, royal insiders said the fallout has fundamentally altered how the future King William and his wife Kate view their place within the monarchy.
Modernizing The Monarchy
Prince William privately feels Beatrice and Eugenie impact royal brand, sources claimed.
A source close to the Wales household claimed William, 43, views the princesses' public presence as potentially undermining his efforts to modernize and protect the monarchy as a brand.
The insider added, "William's feeling is that the monarchy simply cannot survive mixed messaging when it comes to the York scandal and the damage it has done to public confidence.
"He believes there has to be a very visible and consistent separation between the institution and anyone connected to that fallout, even indirectly. From his perspective, allowing Beatrice and Eugenie to continue appearing at major royal occasions, mingling with senior royals, and participating in prestigious public events risks blurring the boundaries the family has spent years trying to establish.
"He worries the public could begin to think the palace is quietly rehabilitating the Yorks by the back door, and that would undermine everything he is trying to build for the future of the Crown," the source noted.
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Kate Middleton is said to back Prince William's stance on Beatrice and Eugenie.
Another source said Kate, 44, strongly supports her husband's position behind palace walls.
They noted: "Kate's position has hardened considerably over time because she believes the royal family can no longer afford to blur the line between personal compassion and public duty.
"Privately, she does feel for Beatrice and Eugenie and understands they are dealing with the consequences of decisions that were not their own, but she also feels the survival of the monarchy depends on maintaining credibility with the public."
The insider continued, "In her view, the institution has spent years trying to contain the reputational fallout surrounding Andrew, and bringing the sisters back into prominent royal events too visibly or too quickly risks dragging all of that controversy back into the spotlight again.
"Kate thinks the public expects consistency, and she fears any perception of leniency could seriously damage trust in the Crown."
