Prince William, dressed in a morning suit and top hat, stepped in to host a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 21st on behalf of his father, King Charles.
Meanwhile, his wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, continues to stay out of the public eye as she undergoes cancer treatment. To assist with hosting duties at the afternoon festivities, the Prince of Wales invited some of his cousins, including Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, and her husband Mike Tindall. This rare outing highlighted the next generation of the royal family.
Princess Eugenie and Zara coordinated their outfits in pink and white ensembles, while Peter and Mike wore top hats with their suits. While Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren are often seen together at family events such as Christmas, they are not working members of the royal family and instead hold jobs while supporting charitable causes. Not in attendance at the garden party were their two youngest cousins: 20-year-old Lady Louise, who studies at the University of St Andrews, and 16-year-old James, Earl of Wessex. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Queen Elizabeth's first cousin and his wife, also attended the garden party.
Notably, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have seemingly sent a clear message to their cousin Prince Harry by showing a united front at Prince William's party at Buckingham Palace. Beatrice and Eugenie made it clear that they support King Charles and Prince William during this difficult time. The York sisters have appeared neutral in the feud between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family, with Eugenie maintaining good relations with Harry and Meghan Markle. She visited their Montecito home when she was in California and was seen chatting with Harry during King Charles' coronation last May.
However, the princesses of York have seemingly distanced themselves from Harry as they did not attend the Invictus Games service in London on May 8th, reportedly to avoid causing a split in the royal family. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told GB News that Beatrice and Eugenie wouldn't have been expected to attend because their presence could signal a division within the family. He noted that although the York sisters are still close to Harry, they would not attend such an event without King Charles' permission.
There has been speculation that Eugenie could act as a peacemaker between Harry and the rest of the royals due to her close relationships with both sides. Former royal butler Grant Harrold suggested that Eugenie, who has always been close to both William and Harry, would likely try to mediate between the brothers if possible. He emphasized that she cares deeply for them both and would probably attempt to bring them together if she could.
