Seventh-in-line to the throne Princess Beatrice has spoken out in a new interview about the two women she calls her “role models”, grandmother the Queen, and her mother, the Duchess of York.
Within the interview, 29-year-old Beatrice made it plain just how close she is to the two important women in her life, explaining how “lucky” she feels to be related to the “formidable” members of the royal family.
She confessed “I have two role models, my mother and my grandmother. They are both formidable women. I think having female role models is incredibly important and I am very lucky that I happen to be related to these two incredible women.”
But she also admitted how – while she looks up to her relatives – she believes that her mother is often misperceived, in the press and within general opinion.
Speaking to Hello! magazine, the Princess confessed that despite some of the unfavourable opinions of her mother Sarah Ferguson, she has taught her some valuable life lessons.
Princess Beatrice admitted, “I admire my mother so much because she’s probably one of the most misunderstood women in the world. She has taught me over the years that anything is possible, no matter where you think the world is going to put you next.”
The royal also spoke about the difficult times they’ve endured as a family, along with her father Prince Andrew and sister Princess Eugenie.
“We’ve been through some incredibly stressful times together as a family and every single minute she created joy. I am so lucky that I get to learn from her every single day. I’m inspired by her ability to give, even when she’s going through something hard.
“Her grandmother always said, ‘When you feel bad about yourself, go out there and do something for somebody else.’ That’s an incredible motto that my family has always lived by. My mother is just remarkable.”
Following her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York endured a difficult time, particularly in the tabloid press. In 2010, she was embroiled in a period of financial instability, as it was reported that she was in debt for around £2 million.
In 2012, the Ministry of Justice of Turkey also issued a warrant for her arrest, after going undercover to film a controversial Turkish orphanage.
But despite the tough times, the Duchess has maintained a close tie and involvement with a number of charities, including Teenage Cancer Trust, and the American Cancer Society.
And while Princess Beatrice has openly praised her mother’s strength in adversity, she also praised her monarch grandmother, discussing how she’s always “curious” to learn about the world and do more to improve it.
She admitted, “I find my grandmother inspiring every day because her overwhelming sense of duty is linked with an overwhelming curiosity.
“Every day she’s curious to learn something new, to do something new and I think that at 91 years old, she goes out into the community with a genuine curiosity as to how she can be a force for good in the world.
“She also looks for ways in which she can inspire communities, and I admire the way that she works so hard.”
