Surprise duo set to replace Harry, Meghan

PRINCESSES Beatrice and Eugenie could easily step up to the plate and take on some of the responsibilities previously looked after by their cousin Prince Harry – if they choose to.

Royal biographer and The Crown consultant Robert Lacey told Hello! magazine on Monday that the daughters of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew could take on more prominent roles in the royal family following “Megxit.”

“It’s quite clear that one of the consequences is that Beatrice and Eugenie will now be brought forward – if they’re willing to be brought forward,” Lacey said.

“If two go out, two have got to come in, and those two have got to be Beatrice and Eugenie. I’m sure they will step forward and be greatly welcomed. It’s what the family needs as it’s another 15 years before Prince George’s generation steps up. It’s ironic that Harry mentioned his cousins as models of how he wants to be.”

Currently, both princesses have regular full-time jobs that they balance with their royal duties, Harper’s Bazaar reported. Beatrice, 31, works as the vice-president at data and software company Afiniti. Meanwhile, her sister Eugenie, 29, is an art gallery director.

Royal expert Phil Dampier previously shared that Sophie, Countess of Wessex, would be the ideal royal to step up and take over after Harry and his wife Meghan Markle announced they were taking “a step back” as senior royals.

Sophie, 55, is the wife of Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II.

“With Harry and Meghan off the scene and Andrew taking a back seat because of the Epstein scandal, (the royal family is) becoming seriously understaffed,” Dampier told UK’s Daily Mail. “Prince Philip is retired at 98, the Queen is nearly 94 and Charles and Camilla are in their 70s.”

Dampier also noted that Princess Anne turns 70 this year and the Queen’s cousins are in their 80s.

“Prince Edward has kept a very low profile in recent years, but his wife, Sophie, has become a star in her own right,” he continued. “She is very close to Her Majesty and is a favourite of hers. Recently, she has been on several overseas trips and done fantastically well. Now that her children are a bit older, I think there could be a great role for her to play.”

Dampier called Sophie “fit and full of energy”.

“I think (Sophie) wants to do more and would happily step up to the plate and take over more duties if asked,” Dampier continued. “Charles has to realise that you can slim down too much, and they are running out of royals to do the nitty-gritty work.”

He added: “Sophie would be perfect to take up some of the slack, and I think she has the potential to be a royal superstar given the chance. If it was Sophie’s choice, I think she would grab it with both hands.”

Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, announced on January 8 that they would take “a step back” as senior members of the royal family and instead work independently, splitting their time between the United Kingdom and Canada.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said their decision came “after many months of reflection and internal discussions”.

“We have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the couple shared on Instagram. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.

“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages,” they continued. “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”

The couple added that they would continue to work with the reigning monarch, 93, as well as Harry’s father Prince Charles and older brother Prince William.

“We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support,” the Sussexes wrote.

This article originally appeared in Fox News and was reproduced with permission