They started off the year as fully fledged members of the royal family, but over the course of 2012, Beatrice and Eugenie were carefully maneuvered out of the new, slimmed-down royal family by their uncle, Prince Charles. But instead of losing their cool, the young sisters have emerged as positive role models for minor royalty, unfazed by the loss of their royal protection officers or free lodgings, and renewing their public commitment to troubled mother Sarah Ferguson. This was their 2012.
Steve Parsons/PA, via Landov; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty; Stuart Wilson/Getty; Luke MacGregor/Reuters, via Landov
In the run-up to the Jubilee, the princesses' father, Prince Andrew, was lobbying for them to be given a full role in the celebrations. At firs it seemed like his plan was working—here, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice talk to Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco during a reception in the Waterloo Chamber, before the Lunch for Sovereign Monarchs at Windsor Castle, on May 18, in Windsor, England.
Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie of York attend the second annual "Freddie for a Day" event in memory of the band Queen's late frontman, Freddie Mercury, at the Savoy Hotel on Sept. 3, 2012 in London.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are the queen's favorites, so much so that she issued an edict that Kate must curtsey to them as blood princesses, and here they are pictured with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, during the second day of the Epsom Derby horse racing festival, at Epsom in Surrey during the queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
There will be fa fewer free lunches for the young royals after they were knocked off the royal payroll by Charles and told to get jobs. Here Princess Eugenie, right, and Princess Beatrice visit a Big Jubilee Lunch at All Saints Church, Fulham, London, on Sunday, June 3, 2012 as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Beatrice and Eugenie provided a splash of color during the riverboat pageant, but they were not allowed on the main barge. Instead, they were relegated to the boat Havengore.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie arrive for the queen's Diamond Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on June 5, 2012.
Ousted from “the firm,” the girls have sought to make their own mark on causes close to their hearts during 2012. Here, Princess Eugenie completes her charity bike ride at Alexandra Palace in London as part of the Nightrider event.
Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry, and Princess Beatrice stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony at the Horse Guards Parade on June 16, 2012, in London, marking the official birthday of the sovereign, even though the queen's actual birthday is on April 21.
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Princess Eugenie was stripped of her royal protection the day she finished her university courses, in this photo she attends her graduation ceremony at Newcastle University. The girls were given a role in the Paralympics: here, Eugenie presents China's Xu Zhao with the gold medal for the men's 100 meters.
One advantage of being fired by Charles is that the girls no longer have to watch what company they keep. Here, with their troubled mother, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, they watch the Track Cycling on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Velodrome on Aug. 7. Harry was also in the crowd—he did not acknowledge Fergie.
If Beatrice looks confortable holding the phone ... good, she's gotta get a job. Here she poses while attending the annual BGC charity day at BGC Partners on Sept. 11, 2012, in London.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie may no longer be on the payroll, but they are still the queen's favorites. Here, they attend Sandringham church in Norfolk with Granny.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie watch as Queen Elizabeth reacts while a child talks after giving her a posey of flowers after the royal family's Christmas Day church service.
