PRINCESS Eugenie is “reluctant” to step up and take on additional royal duties, according to King Charles’ ex-butler.
With King Charles, 75, previously having time off for treatment for an enlarged prostate, and Kate Middleton, 42, out of her palace office following a cancer diagnosis, the royals have been clutching at straws to have certain members step up and take on more royal duties.
And according to Grant Harrold, who worked for Charles for seven years when he was the Prince of Wales, Princess Eugenie is not looking to add any more to her plate at this time.
Grant Harrold told The Post: “Princess Eugenie is probably cautious to step up to royal duties because it does take up your whole life.
“I’ve seen the schedules, and you can’t switch it on and off.”
According to Grant, Eugenie, who welcomed her second son, Ernest, in May 2023 with husband Jack Brooksbank, and is also mother to August, three, is simply not prepared for the intense demands stepping up entails.
He continued: “Eugenie is very keen to have her own career, and that’s something she is very passionate about — so yes, she probably is reluctant to take on royal duties.”
The princess, who celebrated her 34th birthday last weekend with her husband and children, is currently a non-working royal.
But Grant added: “But as times become more desperate, it’s very likely we will see her move from that to become a working senior member of the family.”
This comes after The Sun’s exclusive chat with royal expert Angela Levin, whereby she claimed that Eugenie’s move to Portugal was an attempt to escape her father, Prince Andrew’s scandal, despite being close with her mum Sarah Ferguson and sister Beatrice.
Angela said: “It seems whatever happens, despite how dreadful, with Andrew or their mother getting cancer, Eugenie and Beatrice are very positive.
“I don’t know if Eugenie would have sat down with her father and had a chat to maintain a relationship after the scandal.
“She’s moved to Portugal. I know she wanted to get away from London and maybe she feels she wants to get away from the scandal.
“The move could have been to get away from the problems with her dad, but her husband has a very well paid job out there and she’s extremely happy.”
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank relationship
HERE is everything you need to know about Eugenie and Jack's relationship.
In January 2018, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s engagement was announced by Buckingham Palace after the 28-year-old got engaged to the nightclub manager in Nicaragua.
The couple began dating in 2011 after they met while skiing in the Swiss resort of Verbier.
They married on October 12, 2018, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, the same venue as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Eugenie gave birth to her first child, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, on February 9, 2021.
The choice of Philip as a middle name pays tribute to Eugenie’s grandfather Prince Philip.
Her second child, Ernest, was born in May 2023.
Despite Eugenie’s move to Portugal, previously, Grant claimed that with Eugenie being close to both Prince William and Prince Harry, it could mean that she could act as a “peacemaker” between the feuding brothers.
The former butler said on behalf of Fruity Slots: “Eugenie is very close to William and Harry, she always has been, always will be.
“I’m sure that if she could, she would probably try to play peacekeeper with William and Harry, but it’s hard to say, as we don’t know exactly what is going on behind closed doors.
“I’m sure if she can help, she probably would try and intervene between the two of them.
“If she can help bring the brothers back together, of course she would. She’s their cousin and she cares about them both deeply.”
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