King Charles rewards Eugenie’s loyalty as Harry’s hopes of a hybrid royal path take a hit
Princess Eugenie’s rising prominence within the royal family has sparked speculation that Prince Harry’s long-held hope of maintaining a royal role without being a full-time working royal may now be out of reach.
Despite not being a taxpayer-funded royal, Eugenie has quietly stepped up in recent months, taking on a mentoring role with the King’s Foundation and continuing meaningful patronage work with charities close to her heart—most recently Horatio’s Garden, which supports spinal injury patients. Her low-key but impactful visit on Saturday drew widespread praise for her dedication and humility.
According to The Telegraph, Eugenie has become a standout example of how to be a royal without the formal trappings. She took time off from her full-time job for the engagement, arriving without a press team or stylists, and was accompanied only by a shared family secretary. The article described her as “carving out a new way of being a royal patron.”
The moment may mark a turning point—not just for Eugenie’s own role, but also for her dynamic with Prince Harry. Once considered one of Harry’s last close allies within the royal fold, Eugenie’s growing alignment with King Charles comes as a potential blow to her cousin. Royal commentators suggest the Duke of Sussex could have viewed her as proof that it was possible to carry out royal duties in an unofficial capacity.
However, Eugenie’s increasing responsibilities—and the trust being shown to her by the monarch—may undermine Harry’s past assertions that he could have continued supporting the Crown while living abroad.
As the royal family tightens its inner circle amid health crises and transition, Harry’s absence has become more apparent. Eugenie’s visibility and loyalty are being rewarded, drawing comparisons to recent honors granted to Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie.
With her deepening royal involvement, Eugenie may be solidifying her place within the institution—while Harry appears to move further from it, possibly losing one of his last personal bridges to royal life.
