A National Audit Office report released earlier this week has revealed that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are living in palace residences at no cost, funded by the Duchy of Lancaster through the Privy Purse. The findings have sparked a debate over the propriety of subsidising non‑working royals and the use of public funds for luxury accommodation.

£25 million a year from the Duchy of Lancaster now covers the sisters’ homes

The Duchy of Lancaster, a private estate that generates roughly £25 million each year, has traditionally supported the monarch’s official responsibilities and maintained private royal residences such as Balmoral and Sandringham. According to the NAO report, the estate has continued to subsidise the upkeep of Beatrice’s and Eugenie’s palace homes even though neither princess undertakes day‑to‑day duties expected of a working royal. the report notes that the rent for Ivy Cottage was set at only 64 percent of the recognised market value in the latest year, a figure that has gradually been stepped up from 50 percent in 2020 to its current percentage.

Beatrice’s BY‑EQ profits and private wealth hide a free‑ride on royal funds

Princess Beatrice, now 37, runs an advisory business called BY‑EQ.. Her company made almost £500,000 last year, a steep rise from a modest £39,000 profit in its first year. The business is described as providing “emotional intelligence” training to organisations in an age dominated by artificial intelligence. In addition to her own income, Beatrice is married to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a property magnate who has expanded his design firm to include private jet interiors. The couple also own a property in the Cotswolds and a villa in Portugal.

Eugenie’s art gallery role and luxury home share a £64‑percent rent discount

Princess Eugenie, aged 36, is a director at the internationally renowned art gallery Hauser & Wirth. she and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who rose from a bartender to a senior marketing role at the tequila brand Casamigos, share a luxury home in Portugal and a London residence at Kensington Palace – famously known as Ivy Cottage. The NAO report highlighted that the rent for Ivy Cottage was set at only 64 percent of the recognised market value in the latest year, a figure that has gradually been stepped up from 50 percent in 2020 to its current percentage.

Why are non‑working royals receiving such luxurious benefits?

The report’s timing coincides with earlier headlines that scrutinised the tradition of charging staff for the use of royal properties. While the NAO has uncovered that Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor once channeled staff into his private Windsor esttate for a nominal fee,these new revelations paint a larger picture of financial practices within the monarchy that merit further public scrutiny . Critics argue that the sisters’ lavish accommodation is unjustified given their lack of official duties and that the continued use of Duchy funds to support them could be seen as a misuse of assets that are meant to support public service.

Will the Crown reassess its funding model for non‑working royals?

The question now hinges on whether the monarchy will reassess its funding model for non‑workig royals to better reflect their public responsibilities, or whether the current arrangement will stand as a testament to the tradition of royal privilege.. As the public closely watches the dialogue that follows, many will be watching to see how the Crown balances legacy with contemporary expectations of accountability and fiscal responsibility.