Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis “changed Prince William’s relationship with Beatrice and Eugenie”, royal sources have claimed.
The Princess of Wales announced she was beginning a course of preventative chemotherapy in March, and subsequently, the Prince of Wales had to shoulder many of the royal engagements himself.
On May 21, 2024, William hosted the annual Sovereign’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in place of his father King Charles, who is also undergoing cancer treatment.
However, the future King had plenty of support in the form of his cousins, Princess Beatrice, 35, and Princess Eugenie, 34, as Kate was continuing to recuperate at Adelaide Cottage.
Kate’s cancer diagnosis ‘changed William’s relationship with Beatrice and Eugenie’
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William, 42, was reportedly so impressed with Beatrice and Eugenie’s enthusiastic display on the day that he vowed to include the sisters in future engagements, in a similar manner to his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The princesses opted not to attend Prince Harry’s Invictus Games event, which was held in St. Paul’s Cathedral earlier in May, which may suggest they’re on William’s side in the ongoing feud between the brothers.
As a result, Beatrice and Eugenie could start getting more and more responsibilities going forward, according to reports in The Telegraph.
The York sisters are “very willing to step up and do more at this current time to help,” according to the publication.
The source added: “They’re very fond of their cousin and their uncle, and they want to do everything they can to support them.
“And they believe in the institution they grew up in.”
As the Princess of Wales continues taking time off to treat her illnesses, it’s becoming increasingly crucial for Prince William to utilise more members of the Royal Family for assistance.
In May, royal commentator Kate Mansey asserted in The Times, that Beatrice, in particular, had emerged as the most likely royal to step up to the plate during the Prince of Wales’s time of need.
Princess Eugenie issued a statement highlighting the importance of “supporting family” after she attended a garden party hosted by Prince William
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Mansey proclaimed that she was “expected to support the King and senior family members more often in the coming months.”
However, it is also likely that Beatrice and Eugenie are not looking to take on senior roles, and would rather remain in their corporate jobs.
Outside the Firm, Beatrice is the vice president of partnerships and strategy at US-based tech firm Afiniti, while Eugenie is a director at the art gallery Hauser & Wirth in London.
