'Comfortable in the Spotlight': Princess Beatrice 'Would Love' to Become a Working Royal in Kate Middleton's Absence
Princess Beatrice, 35, is royally styled but, so far, has not been asked to become a full-fledged working member of the British royal family. With Kate, Princess of Wales currently out of commission due to her illness, some analysts report that the eldest York princess could be poised to officially join senior ranks in the monarchy.
A source recently spilled that Beatrice "has been asked to fill in for Kate and do some appearances for the monarchy this summer."
The insider added that HRH "would love for it to become a permanent situation, since Beatrice is comfortable in the spotlight and would be overjoyed to become a working royal."
Beatrice's rise comes at a precarious time for Britain's future queen, who has not fulfilled a royal engagement since Christmas Day 2023 due to health issues. The source also dished how King Charles III has reassured his daughter-in-law that her well-being is more important than Crown duties.
"He was sympathetic and supportive, insisting she stop worrying and take as much time as is needed," they pointed out. "Instead of feeling wholly reassured, however, his response made her question everything, including her value to the royal family and who she is without her titles."
They continued: "She’s spiraled at times. Ultimately, though, Kate knows that her health needs to be her top priority. So she’s been trying to make peace with the situation and treat this recovery period as one of her duties. Her decision to stay in hiding might be shocking to some. But Kate wants to make sure she’s here for her family — and the Crown — for a long time."
Some insiders have claimed the Princess of Wales could "slowly" return to public royal duties sometime "during the summer months." In the meantime, a rejuvenated King Charles is reportedly tapping junior royal members to potentially join the senior echelons of his royal court.
Both Zara Tindall and Beatrice are "junior royals" who do not officially work for the Crown in senior, frontline roles, but do occasionally make public appearances as members of the royal family.
"They've attended royal engagements in the past, sometimes 'in attendance' with the late Queen, for example, so they might appear at other events over the summer as members of the King's family," royal expert Emily Nash told an outlet.
Due to less than a handful of monarchy members fulfilling engagements, royal expert Angela Levin told an outlet: "My own view is that he [the King] could have Zara, who is the daughter of Princess Anne, because she and her husband Mike, who comes also from an ordinary background but fits in beautifully with the royal family. He could do it very well."