Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have been urged to follow the example of their cousin Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle by giving up their HRH titles as non-working royals.
Norman Baker, a Liberal Democrat politician, suggested the York sisters should do as the Sussexes did. Speaking to GB News, the former MP claimed the daughters of Andrew and Sarah Ferguson “should give up HRH styles like Harry and Meghan.”
Baker appeared to support the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back from official duties, arguing: “Being a member of the royal family is not something you choose; you’re born into it, and you must have the right to, in inverted commas, resign and then do something else. It can’t be a life sentence. If you want to go away and do something else, you should be entitled to do that.”
He made the remarks ahead of the publication of his new book, “Royal Mint, National Debt: The shocking truth about the royals’ finances”. In it, he takes aim at non-working royals who continue to hold and use their HRH styles, including Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The former legislator went on: “Harry and Meghan are no longer undertaking royal duties, but it’s inevitable they will trade on their connections.”
He continued, “The same with Beatrice and Eugenie. I don’t begrudge them their operations and their working events, or the working environment they’ve created.”
Baker drew a firm distinction between those who have surrendered their formal styles and those who carry out commercial activities while keeping their titles, aiming his remarks at the York sisters.
“The reality is that Beatrice and Eugenie still retain their HRH titles, and really, if they want to go and work in the private sector or do their own thing, that for me is fine – as Harry and Meghan have done. But they can’t have one foot in the camp of the Royal Family and one foot in the camp of private enterprise for themselves,” Baker claimed.
He added: “They’re either working royals, or they’re not working royals. If they’re not working royals, they shouldn’t have HRH titles. If you want to go away and do something else, you should be entitled to do that.”
Robert Hazell, Emeritus Professor of Government and the Constitution at University College London, outlined the legal precedent for removing royal designations, telling the People’s Channel: “HRH status is granted by Letters Patent, and can be withdrawn, as happened with Princess Diana in 1996.”