Prince Charles opposes Prince Andrew’s demand to give Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie royal roles

Prince Andrew and Prince Charles — Britain's Prince Andrew (L) speaks with Prince Charles as they attend the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, Britain June 15, 2015. Reuters/Peter Nicholls

Queen Elizabeth is said to be at the centre of a row involving her sons. Prince Charles is reportedly clashing with younger brother Prince Andrew over Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie’s official roles.

According to Sunday Express, the royal rift started when Andrew demanded in a letter to his mother that his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, be allowed to carry out full-time royal duties supported by the Sovereign Grant, which funds the Royals’ work.

Britain Horse Racing - Royal Ascot - Ascot Racecourse - 18/6/16 Britain's Princess Eugenie (L) and Princess Beatrice at Ascot Reuters/Toby Melville

He apparently complained that the girls will be overshadowed by Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, as well as Prince Harry, when Charles becomes king. And hence, his daughters should be given royal duties and be allowed to live at Kensington Palace instead of at St James Palace.

“Amanda originally drafted the letter and couched it in very reasonable terms, but the Duke did not think it made his case strongly enough so tore it up and put pen to paper himself,” a source of the publication said, referring to Amanda Thirsk, the Duke of York’s private secretary.

“He believes his daughters are already being overshadowed by William, Kate and Harry, and the situation will get worse as Prince George and Princess Charlotte get older.”

Andrew apparently argued that Beatrice and Eugenie, as the only “blood princesses” in the family, deserve proper royal roles like William and Harry. “He fears that they will be totally sidelined when the Queen dies.”

Beatrice, 28, and Eugenie, 26, are seventh and eighth in the line of succession to the UK throne, behind Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Harry and Andrew respectively.

The Queen was reportedly taken aback by the demand in the letter that she was unable to reply. She handed it to her private secretary, Christopher Geidt, instead to deal with. Geidt then raised the matter directly with Charles, who wanted someone in Government to deny Andrew’s demands.

According to the source, Charles wanted a more “streamlined” monarchy, with William, Kate and Harry taking the centre stage at major royal events. The Prince of Wales wanted to keep peripheral royals off the public payroll.

Beatrice announced in July that she was stepping down from full-time employment to pursue “entrepreneurial ambitions,” while Eugenie works as an associate director at a London art gallery.

In 2010, they were stripped off their 24-hour police protection in a bid to reduce the royals’ expenses. Although their father fought for the retention of their security, they were still left without it.

MEET IBT NEWS FROM BELOW CHANNELS