‘Granny Elizabeth’: How Queen bonded with next generation of royals

The Queen was considered by many Britons to be the grandmother of the nation – a steady anchor who offered support through crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. But for a small group, she was the matriarch of their own family, grandmother to eight grandchildren and great grandmother to 12, including the future kings – Prince William, 40, and Prince George, nine. Like many grandparents, Her Majesty had more time in recent years to share with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren than perhaps she did with her own children when they were growing up. Though the Queen continued to work hard, studying official papers and carrying out numerous engagements, the long overseas tours she embarked on when her own children were young became a thing of the past. Affectionately called ‘Granny’ and ‘Gan-Gan’, the monarch enjoyed a close bond with the younger generation of royals. There have long been reports of how she personally mentored Prince William with one-on-one lunches during his time at Eton College. Here, the doting grandmother is pictured with (from left to right) Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Savannah Phillips (behind), Isla Phillips holding Lena Tindall and Mia Tindall.

Princess Anne’s son Peter has said he felt ‘incredibly lucky to be able to share a lot of our childhood time’ with the monarch, while Prince Andrew’s daughter Princess Eugenie has called her ‘brilliant.’ And in recent weeks, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge even moved their children to just a stone’s throw from her home in Windsor, partly hoping they would have more time with the Queen. As well as enjoying trips with the younger generation of royals, she’s also known to spend time video calling with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, Archie and Lilibet. Here, FEMAIL reveals the sprawling dynasty she has left behind… 

Savannah Phillips (left): Eleven-year-old Savannah Phillips, who was born in 2010, was the Queen and Philip’s eldest great-grandchild. She is the daughter of the Princess Royal’s son, Peter Phillips, and his ex-wife Autumn. The couple announced they were divorcing in 2020, but share custody and co-parent their children. At Eugenie’s wedding in 2018, bridesmaid Savannah had pageboy Prince George trying to stifle laughter when she entertained him by pretending to play the trumpet in St George’s Chapel. She was once seen pushing George – her second cousin – down a grassy bank at a polo match, and also putting her hand over his mouth as the National anthem was played while they were on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping The Color. Isla Phillips (right): Savannah’s younger sister, Isla, was born in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year of 2012. Her middle name is Elizabeth in honor of the monarch. The Phillips sisters are not entitled to a royal title. They are usually kept out of the limelight but sometimes join other members of the family on the Buckingham Palace balcony for major events. They are mostly spotted enjoying themselves as they play together at horse trials. 

PRINCE GEORGE: Expected to take the throne in succession to his father, William, George Alexander Louis is the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He was born on July 22, 2013, just over two years after his parents had married at Westminster Abbey. The 8-year-old has spent much of lockdown at William and Kate’s countryside home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk. 

The prince is known to be a fan of helicopters, and all things police-related. Football-mad George is also a passionate Aston Villa fan, just like his father. George is seen as shyer than his younger sister, Princess Charlotte, occasionally appearing a little reluctant in front of the cameras. Third-in-line George and his siblings call the Queen ‘Gan Gan’. And he has been photographed on multiple occasions alongside the Queen for portraits of the heirs, most recently in December 2020. Both Prince George and Princess Charlotte took part in their first royal engagements in June 2022, when they joined their parents to visit Cardiff as part of the Queen’s Jubilee. During the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the little royal was pictured sharing a few words with his great-grandmother while standing on the balcony together (pictured). 

PRINCESS CHARLOTTE: William and Kate’s second child, daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana (center), was born on May 2, 2015, with one of her middle names chosen in tribute to her grandmother. Under the terms of the changes to the succession in 2013, Charlotte remains ahead of her younger brother Louis despite his gender. The Cambridges’ 6-year-old middle child, Charlotte, is known for her confident, feisty character. The princess likes spicy food and is nicknamed ‘Lottie’. She shares a love of horses with the Queen, and bears a resemblance to her great-grandmother when she was also a child. At the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in 2018, the playful fourth in line to the throne stuck out her tongue as she arrived by car. 

She repeated the gesture while watching a presentation ceremony at the King’s Cup regatta on the Isle of Wight in 2019. At the christening of younger brother Prince Louis, she was heard telling off photographers and declaring they were not allowed inside. Meanwhile, she took part in her first royal engagement in June 2022, when she joined big brother George and her parents in Cardiff. Clips from several events during the Jubilee, including Sunday’s Platinum Pageant and Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, as well as Thursday’s carriage ride (pictured), show Charlotte, giving her younger brother Prince Louis a dressing down.

PRINCE LOUIS: The third child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (far right) was born on April 23, 2018. He was named Louis Arthur Charles, and, despite being a boy, did not leapfrog his older sister, Charlotte, in the line of succession. In pictures released for his second birthday, he was shown with a paint-covered face and hands as he made a rainbow print for his window. Louis, who has inherited the Middleton eyes, is often compared to his maternal grandfather, Michael Middleton.

During the Platinum Jubilee, the nation fell in love with his bubbly and playful personality, which was on full display at Trooping the Colour, the Platinum Party and final Platinum Pageant at the Palace. He stole the limelight after delighting crowds as he stood chatting to the Queen – and showed off his star power again on Sunday while watching the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London. The 4-year-old showcased several amusing expressions as he sat next to his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, in the royal box during the fourth day of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

MIA, LENA AND LUCAS TINDALL: Zara and Mike Tindall gave birth to their first child, Mia Grace (left), on January 17, 2014. The Tindalls welcomed a second daughter, Lena (right), in 2018, after suffering two miscarriages. Zara delivered an 8lb 4oz son Lucas on March 21, 2021, with the baby arriving on the bathroom floor in a surprise home birth. Buckingham Palace said the Queen and the duke were ‘delighted’ at the news of their 10th great-grandchild. Lucas has the middle name Philip in honor of both the duke and Mike Tindall’s father. 

ARCHIE MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (here being held my Meghan Markle) is the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. He was born at Portland Hospital in London in 2019. The Queen was among the first members of the royal family to meet Archie when the couple brought him to Windsor Castle days after his birth. Archie had lived with his parents at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor and joined them on their tour of southern Africa in September 2019. 

Archie now lives thousands of miles away in California after his parents, Harry and Meghan, stepped down as senior royals in 2021 and moved to the US. The monarch was understood to have continued video-calling with the couple after their move to the US, with reports saying she would chat with Archie during the calls. He appears to have inherited his father’s red hair, seen when he was pictured in a stylized image on the family’s Christmas card. In the Oprah interview that rocked the monarchy, Meghan accused a member of the royal family – neither the Queen nor Philip – of raising concerns before Archie was born about how dark his skin tone might be. The duchess also said Archie was not made a prince because of his race, although he is not actually entitled to be one or to have an HRH style yet because of rules set down by King George V more than 100 years ago.

AUGUST PHILIP HAWKES BROOKSBANK: Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, was born on February 9, 2021, at London’s Portland Hospital. He was named after his great-grandfather Prince Philip. Eugenie described their hearts as being ‘full of love for this little human’. In November, the Queen’s granddaughter, 31, christened the youngster with the Queen in attendance. Meanwhile, Eugenie, 31, posted two photos on Instagram to mark her son’s first birthday with the caption: ‘Happy 1st Birthday to our little hero Augie. You are such a special soul that brightens every room with your smile and wave. You have made us so very proud. We love you!’ She had been fiercely protective of her son’s privacy by hiding his face in social media pictures, but shared the public a glimpse of her son when she took him to the Platinum Pageant at Buckingham Palace. 

LILIBET MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR: Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s second child, was born on June 4, 2021, in Santa Barbara, California. She was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and named after the Queen’s childhood nickname, while her middle name, Diana, was in tribute to Harry’s late mother. Harry and Meghan announced the arrival of their daughter, prompting warm messages of congratulations from the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. But the mood began to sour with an article in the New York Post, which said it had been ‘told’ by unnamed sources that ‘Harry called the Queen for permission to name his daughter Lilibet’, a deeply personal childhood nickname of the Queen that was used by very close relatives, including her late husband Prince Philip. But a Royal insider described the conversation between Harry and his grandmother as ‘a telling, not an asking’, confirming a BBC report that said the Sussexes had not asked the Queen if she had any objection to their choice of name. Harry and Meghan reacted furiously, instructing their lawyers to contest the BBC story, which they described as ‘false and defamatory’. 

However, there was further irritation at the Palace when friends of Harry and Meghan suggested to US journalists that the Queen had been introduced to Lilibet over a video call. The insider denied that, stating, ‘No video call has taken place’, adding: ‘Friends of the Sussexes appear to have given misleading briefings to journalists about what the Queen had said and that took the whole thing over the edge. The Palace couldn’t deny the story that this was a mistruth.’ The Duke and Duchess shared a snap of Lilibet on their Christmas card in December 2021 (pictured), and the tot finally met her namesake, the Queen, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the UK for the Jubilee celebration in June 2022. However, the monarch reportedly banned Harry and Meghan from having a photographer snap the moment. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex wanted a private photographer to capture the moment their daughter met her namesake, however, they were allegedly told ‘no chance’ because it was a ‘private family meeting’. Palace insiders may have worried any photos taken by Harry and Meghan would be shared with TV networks in the US. The couple later released three images from Lilibet’s birthday party, which were taken by their friend photographer Misan Harriman. 

SIENNA MAPELLI MOZZI: Beatrice, the oldest daughterof Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, gave birth to a baby girl weighing 6lbs, 2oz at 11:42 p.m. on September 18, 2021, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. Beatrice and husband Edo, who married in July 2020, later revealed their daughter’s name is Sienna Elizabeth, after her great-grandmother. Her Majesty was said to be ‘delighted with the news’, the palace announced in a statement. Although her mother is a princess, Sienna, who was the Queen’s 12th great-grandchild, will not have a royal title. Only grandchildren of the monarch through the male line are automatically entitled to the styling of HRH. This means she will be plain Miss Mapelli Mozzi. Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi have never shown their daughter’s face in public. 

HER MAJESTY’S EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN: Peter Phillips: The Queen’s first grandchild was born to Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, on November 15, 1977. He studied at the University of Exeter and married Autumn Kelly, a Canadian national, at Windsor Castle in May 2008. The couple had two daughters, Savannah and Isla, before divorcing in 2021. He is behind his mother, Princess Anne, in the line of succession. Peter has enjoyed a decidedly more low-key life than his cousins Prince William and Prince Harry, which started with his mother’s decision not to give him and his younger sister Zara, now married to Mike Tindall, any royal titles. It means Peter and Zara were granted a level of freedom not afforded to titled members of the royal family like William and Harry, and, to a lesser extent, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Pictured: The Queen sits in a car with her daughter Princess Anne and eldest grandchild Peter Phillips at Windsor Castle in May 1983.

After graduating from the University of Exeter with a degree in sports science, Peter worked for Jaguar as a corporate hospitality manager before taking a position at the Williams Grand Prix Engineering team. It was on a business trip at the 2003 Montreal Grand Prix where he met Autumn, a former personal assistant who was working as a Budweiser girl at the event. Not realizing he was the Queen’s grandson, the pair embarked on a relationship and Mr Phillips popped the question after a few years of dating. The newlyweds faced public scrutiny when their wedding photos were sold to Hello! magazine for a reported £500,000 ($575,000) fee. The episode provoked claims the couple had exploited their royal connections and was branded a ‘serious error of judgement’ by then Lib Dem MP Sir Norman Peter Lamb. Peter spent the first 11 years of his career in Formula One, before heading to Williams, where he spent three years as a senior account manager looking after the team’s main sponsors.

In 2005, Peter took up a position at the Royal Bank of Scotland, where for over seven years he designed their first ever global Formula One sponsorship program. The Phillips family lived in Hong Kong after Peter moved jobs within the Royal Bank of Scotland to head their sponsorship activities in the region. In June 2012, he set up Sports & Entertainment UK Ltd [Sel] in London, where he remains director today. The company focus on increasing the ‘commercial value for both sports and entertainment rights holders in the UK,’ according to their website. They also stage events, and Peter has the Queen on his client list, after putting on her 90th birthday party. The Queen’s eldest grandson Peter and wife Autumn finally divorced over a year after announcing their separation in 2021.

Mr Phillips, who has no royal title and receives no taxpayer money as a ‘non-working’ royal, recently caused controversy when he appeared in a Chinese TV advertising campaign for milk. In the television advert for Bright Dairies, shown only on Dragon TV in China, Peter was seen being brought a glass of milk by a butler. ‘This is what I drink,’ he says as the tagline reads: ‘British royal family member, Peter Phillips.’ In 2016, Peter spoke candidly about what it’s like to have The Queen as his grandmother. Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the son of Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips admitted that it is a ‘little strange’ but said his childhood was an extremely jubilant one. Speaking to hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard, The Queen’s eldest grandchild said: ‘I guess it’s a little strange but if you’re growing up with that sort of thing, there’s never really that moment when you go, “Oh wow.”‘ At the time, he admitted he had a lot of fond memories of growing up as part of the royal household and being so close to The Queen. He is pictured here with his girlfriend, Lindsay Wallace. 

‘We had great fun growing up on our holidays, going to stay with her at Sandringham, Balmoral and Windsor and we were incredibly lucky to be able to share a lot of our childhood time with her,’ he said. ‘She’s such an inspiration, not only to the country but to us as a family.’ He continued: ‘You know, her work ethic and her dedication is something that I think the whole family has always inspired to, at least get somewhere near.’ Meanwhile, he hinted at the close nature of his relationship with his grandmother when Prince Philip passed away in April 2021. He said not being able to hug the Queen was the hardest part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.

ZARA TINDALL: Princess Anne’s second child, Zara Phillips (pictured with husband Mike), was born on May 15, 1981, in London. Zara won a team silver at the London 2012 and was presented with her medal by her mother, the Princess Royal. She was crowned world eventing champion in Germany in 2006, which led to the British public voting her BBC Sports Personality of the Year. In 2011, she married Mike Tindall, a former England rugby union player. They have three children – Mia Grace Tindall, born in January 2014; Lena Elizabeth Tindall, born in June 2018; and Lucas Philip Tindall, born in March 2021. Zara has spoken openly about her pride for her grandmother The Queen, including giving an interview after the monarch addressed the nation amid the coronavirus crisis. Appearing on GMB, the equestrian, 38, said the poignant television address, where Her Majesty urged the the British public to come together and protect the NHS, was ‘100% what the country needed’ at the moment, adding that she ‘hopes everyone listens’. ‘I think we’re obviously very proud’, said Zara, ‘And what she said is, I think, 100% what the country needed. I hope everyone listens and we can try and get back to normal and support our NHS as much as we can.’ 

PRINCE WILLIAM: Now first in the line of succession, William was born to Charles, formerly Prince of Wales, now King, and Diana, Princess of Wales, on June 21, 1982, just under a year after his parents married. Christened William Arthur Philip Louis, he went to Eton College, the University of St Andrews and went on to become a pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force. He became the Duke of Cambridge when he married Catherine Middleton in 2011 at Westminster Abbey. They have three children – Prince George in September 2014, Princess Charlotte in May 2015 and Prince Louis in April 2018. The 96-year-old monarch had a close relationship with William, and during his time at Eton College, which is close to the castle, he would often have Sunday lunch with his grandparents in the castle’s paneled Oak Room It was revealed in 2021 that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had been ‘seriously considering’ a move to Windsor. The mooted relocation, which would have brought the family closer to the Queen, was a significant sign that the couple are preparing to take on a far more senior role at the heart of the Royal Family. 

Meanwhile, sources also said Prince William has ‘accepted’ his role and ‘the path set for him’. ‘He is very much his grandmother’s grandson in that respect of duty and service,’ the source, who is close to both brothers, told the Sunday Times. The comments were released as reports emerged that Prince William was furious that Harry and Meghan ‘insulted’ the Queen with a ‘disrespectful’ response to her ban on them using the word ‘royal’ in future business ventures. Meanwhile, experts have also said Prince William’s main ‘challenge’ as King will be to balance staying true to his principles while ‘bringing Prince Harry back’ to be part of The Firm. Royal biographer Robert Lacey, who is the author of Battle of Brothers, told Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl, that making Prince Harry a part of the institution again would be Prince William’s biggest test. 

He explained: ‘The challenge for William is whether while being true to his principles he can also modernize the institution by making his brother part of it. That’s what everyone wants, some kind of reconciliation.’ The royal expert went on to claim the Duke of Cambridge has adopted a similar attitude towards Prince Harry and Meghan, as his grandmother, the Queen. He said: ‘At the end of the day, we saw a ruthlessness from the Queen over her absolute refusal to allow the Sussexes to use the word royal for their new branding, and we’re seeing the same ruthlessness in William.’ Cliver Irving agreed, saying that Prince William is the only royal who fully appreciated the Monarch’s ‘very dedicated sense of duty’. 

PRINCE HARRY: The younger son of Charles and Diana was born on September 15, 1984, more than two years after his older brother William. His full name is Henry Charles Albert David but usually goes by the name Harry. He joined the Army and served on the front line in Helmand during the conflict in Afghanistan. When he married former TV actress Meghan Markle in May 2018 (pictured), he and his new wife were given the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They have two children – Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, born in May 2019 and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, born in June 2021. The couple quit as senior royals in March 2020, after saying they would give up public funding, seek financial independence and move to North America. They now live in California.

Harry has publicly criticized the royal family, accusing the monarchy and the media of attempting to ‘smear’ his wife in the run-up to the couple’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March. At the time, the Queen was said to have been ‘deeply upset’ by what she considered a series of ‘very personal’ criticisms of her family by Prince Harry. Royal sources said the Monarch was shaken by Harry’s repeated comments since the devastating interview that he and wife Meghan gave to Oprah in March. One source said: ‘Harry’s grandmother has taken this very personally and is deeply upset by what Harry has said, in particular his comments about Charles’s parenting and suggesting his father knows no better because of how he was brought up. It has been a very upsetting time.’ However, in public statements, the Queen has insisted they were still ‘much loved’ members of her family. 

In a documentary in 2021, Prince Harry impersonated his grandmother in a cheeky moment. Prince Harry, taking part in his first ‘family project’ was seen looking through flight logs from his grandfather – a qualified pilot – from a 1983 trip to Africa. The duke said: ‘He was doing all the flying himself, or certainly chunks of it. When you’re flying, you don’t get an easy pass just for being the Duke of Edinburgh. You very much have to put in the work and prove your skill. But also he had an amazing privilege to get behind the controls and fly aircraft all around the world.’ Harry continued: ‘I can just imagine my grandmother sitting in the back of a plane having a cup of tea, going through turbulence and going “Oh Philip! What are you doing?”’ In the clips, Harry also said: ‘I miss Prince Philip more for my grandmother because I know how incredibly strong she was with him there. I also know she will be ok without him.’ He added: ‘The two of them together were just the most adorable couple. To me, knowing the cheekiness of him and knowing that behind what the world sees you have two individuals who were very much in love and both, from a very young age, have dedicated their life to service… that is an incredible bond between two people.’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a flying visit to Windsor to meet Her Majesty and Prince Charles for a peace offering in April, before traveling to The Hague for the start of the Invictus Games in The Netherlands. Senior royal sources described the meeting as ‘very cordial’ and ‘incredibly warm and good natured’. Harry later broke his silence on the secret meeting with the Queen and put a positive spin on it saying she would have ‘loved’ to be at the Invictus Games. They are understood to have met the monarch for just half an hour before flying out to Holland for the Invictus Games on what is the couple’s first public appearance in Europe together in two years. The family returned to the UK to visit for the Queen’s Jubilee in June, attending Trooping the Colour and a service of Thanksgiving for the Queen.

The Sussexes reportedly wanted their own photographer to capture the Monarch meeting her great-granddaughter Lilibet at Windsor for the first time, but a source claimed they were told ‘no chance’ because it was a private moment. The couple left for their California home on the third day of the Jubilee celebrations – on a gas-guzzling private jet – before the grand finale of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee even began on Sunday. They were due to travel to the UK in September for a number of engagements, though it was unknown if they planned to see the Queen while in the country.

PRINCESS BEATRICE: Born Beatrice Elizabeth Mary on August 8, 1988, she is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and his then-wife Sarah, Duchess of York. She follows her father in the line of succession. Princess Beatrice and her sister, Eugenie, are not currently considered to be senior working royals because they do not carry out duties full time on behalf of the Queen. The sisters both have full-time jobs and do not receive checks from the Sovereign Grant, the government-supported fund that finances Queen Elizabeth II’s official duties. Princess Beatrice, who is known as Beatrice York in her professional life, studied History and the History of Ideas at Goldsmith’s University before taking on roles at boutique private wealth firms. Pictured: Princess Beatrice (second left) with her father the Duke of York, Prince Charles and his two sons, the Queen and Prince Edward at a celebration of the Queen Mother’s (not pictured) 98th birthday in August 1998.

She also worked as an associate at Sandbridge Capital, a small consumer focused private equity firm, and as a business development associate at Sony Pictures Television until she resigned in 2014. In a sign of her closeness to the Queen, the monarch offered to hold Beatrice’s wedding reception at Buckingham Palace in 2020 (pictured). She married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a private ceremony at Windsor Castle in July 2020 with the Queen and Prince Philip in attendance. Beatrice shared just a few photographs of the big day – and poignantly, in a further indication of her bond with the Queen, one alongside the monarch and Prince Philip. The Queen’s gesture in lending Beatrice a vintage Norman Hartnell gown, which she herself wore almost 60 years ago to the film premiere of Lawrence Of Arabia, meant a lot. 

It was a highly unusual choice for any royal bride and must have made the occasion extra special for both Beatrice and the Queen. Even more significant was the Queen’s decision to lend her granddaughter the Queen Mary tiara, which she wore at her own wedding in 1947. She has previously loaned it to one other royal bride, her daughter, Princess Anne, in 1973. The Queen has maintained a civil relationship with Sarah Ferguson for the sake of Beatrice and Eugenie, something Prince Philip has struggled to do, though he managed to put his differences with Fergie aside when it came to his granddaughters’ weddings. They welcomed their first child together, Sienna Elizabeth, in September 2021. They also have a son, Wolfie, born to Edoardo’s ex Dara Huang. There have been frequent reports in recent years that both Beatrice and Eugenie would step up to take on more prominent roles in The Firm.

Robert Lacey, who is the historical consultant for The Crown, said the sisters will ‘be brought forward’ because it’s ‘what the royal family needs’. Speaking to Hello!, Robert revealed the sisters would be ‘brought forward’ if they were willing to be, saying: ‘If two go out, two have got to come in, and those two have got to be Beatrice and Eugenie.’ The royal biographer called it ‘a consequence’ of the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’s decision that Princess Beatrice and Eugenie would step forward and be welcomed. He added: ‘It’s what the family needs as it’s another 15 years before Prince George’s generation steps up.’ The sisters currently attend a handful of royal events a year, including occasionally joining the Queen at one of her annual garden parties in the summer and making an appearance with other royals at Trooping the Colour.

Royal experts also claimed Princess Beatrice was stepping into the limelight to ‘help her grandmother the Queen’ following Prince Andrew’s downfall and is ‘much more confident’ after becoming a wife and a mother. Editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine Ingrid Seward told FEMAIL Beatrice ‘wants to help her grandmother as much as she can’ after Prince Andrew was cast out of the monarchy over his civil sexual assault case. Royal author Angela Levin added that the Queen’s granddaughter is ‘reliable’ and ‘trusted’ by the Firm and seen as ‘much more confident’ since welcoming her daughter and marrying Edo. However, Prince Charles was previously thought to be opposed to Beatrice and Eugenie taking on official roles because this would conflict with his vision of a ‘slimmed-down’ monarchy when he becomes king. ‘The Royal Family has already become slimmed down with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex giving up public duties,’ a close friend of Charles told Daily Mail. ‘As the older members of the family retire, it will become slimmer still, so there are spaces to be filled. His Royal Highness is very fond of his nieces and would not stand in the way if they did want to carry out more duties.’

PRINCESS EUGENIE: Born on March 23, 1990, Eugenie Victoria Helena is the younger of the Duke and Duchess of York’s two children. She works as a director for Mayfair-based gallery Hauser & Wirth and also has an anti-slavery charity. The royal, who, like her sister, receives no money from the Queen, graduated from Newcastle University in September 2009, after studying English Literature and the History of Art. After completing her studies, Eugenie moved to New York to work for online auction firm Paddle8, before moving back to London in 2015 to start a career with Hauser & Wirth. In October 2018, she married Jack Brooksbank in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle. The couple welcomed their first child together, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, in February 2021. Pictured: Eugenie, in green, with the Queen and other members of the royal family at the Queen Mother’s 101st birthday in 2001.

The royal is often publicly supportive of the Queen, throwing support behind her grandmother and praising her video message for being a ‘brilliant beginning’ to the 2021 United Nations Cop26 Conference. In another slide shared to her stories, Eugenie (pictured left with sister Beatrice) highlighted in green a quote from the monarch’s speech, which was posted on Clarence House’s social media page. The Queen’s granddaughter then added a further applauding emoji alongside a screenshot of the original post. Meanwhile, she shared a number of gushing posts about her grandmother during the Platinum Jubilee, writing in one: ‘Thank you, Your Majesty, Grannie, for 70 years of service, selflessness and dedication. You are such a shining light for us all.’ Elsewhere she said she ‘couldn’t be prouder’ of her ‘remarkable’ grandmother. 

LADY LOUISE WINDSOR: Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary was born on November 8, 2003. She is the only daughter and eldest child of Prince Edward, the Queen’s youngest son, and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex. She is behind her brother James in the succession. Lady Louise lives with her parents and younger brother James, Viscount Severn at Bagshot Park, just a few miles from Windsor Castle. Close to their grandparents, The Wessex family are regularly pictured at Windsor Castle with Louise following in her grandfather’s footsteps to become an accomplished equestrian. The young royal served as a bridesmaid at Prince William’s wedding when she was just seven and served as ‘special attendant’ in the bridal party for Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018. Lady Louise is an accomplished carriage driver, having followed the Duke of Edinburgh into the sport and her mother says she gained a ‘great passion’ and a ‘natural curiosity’ from her grandfather. Speaking to FEMAIL in April 2021, royal author Ingrid Seward explained Lady Louise, the Queen’s youngest granddaughter, has ‘always been an asset’ to the royal family and is ‘very polite’, which Her Majesty ‘loves’. Pictured: Lady Louise Windsor, in purple, joins the Queen and other members of the royal family at Trooping the Colour in June 2012.

Lady Louise has been tipped to be the slimmed down monarchy’s ‘secret weapon’, who could ‘continue the royal family’s legacy’. She recently stepped into the spotlight for a BBC documentary about her late grandfather, and could become a valued member of the Firm now that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince Andrew have stepped back from royal duties. Phil Dampier told the Telegraph’s royal editor Camilla Tominey that Lady Louise is ‘mature’ for her age, and is progressing to become ‘precisely the kind of person the Queen can rely on’. He suspects that the young royal could eventually take over some of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s Patronages, should she choose to accept her HRH title on her 18th birthday in November. Meanwhile, in June, Sophie said she hopes her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, will be able to lead a ‘private life’ for the ‘next few years’. 

The Countess of Wessex spoke in a wide-ranging interview with the BBC’s Naga Munchetty at St James’s Palace. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on how the media affects her family, Sophie said her daughter ‘doesn’t really get involved with social media’ and ‘isn’t interested in putting anything out about herself’. ‘We are protective, obviously,’ said the Countess. ‘She doesn’t really get involved with social media very much at all and that is purely her choice. I wouldn’t deny her going onto it, but she’s not really that interested in it. There’s a few platforms that she talks to her friends on but that’s basically it, she doesn’t put anything out about herself at all. She’s very private.’

JAMES, VISCOUNT SEVERN: James Alexander Philip Theo (center) is the youngest of the Queen’s eight grandchildren, born on December 17, 2007. He follows his father, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex – in the line of succession. He is highly private and little is known about the teenager. The Wessex family are often spotted taking part in outdoor activities at Windsor Castle, which is just 10 miles from their home at Bagshot Park. Generally, he joins his parents for one public engagement each year, which ranges from litter picking on a Norfolk beach to a visit to a local zoo. In 2019, he was seen taking the family Land Rover for a spin around the grounds of Windsor Castle as the Wessex family enjoyed some quality time together during the sunny bank holiday weekend. The thenn 11-year-old son of Prince Edward got behind the wheel of the Discovery, while his mother, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, sat beside him in the passenger seat. Despite his age, the young royal is permitted to drive on the grounds of Windsor Castle since it is private land, meaning he does not need a provisional license or insurance to get behind the wheel. He made one of his highest profile appearances in 2021 when he was among the 30 people invited to Prince Philip’s funeral. 

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