Working members of the royal family, like William and Kate, support the Queen full time. In exchange, they’re paid by the Sovereign Grant, the government-supported fund that finances the Queen’s official duties. Other members, usually those lower in the line of succession, still receive some familial support but earn the majority of their income through personal endeavors. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, said of his daughters in 2016,
“As a father, my wish for my daughters is for them is to be modern working young women, who happen to be members of the Royal Family, and I am delighted to see them building their careers. When they do support the Royal Family in its work this is very much appreciated by my family and most importantly by those organizations and to those for whom their participation makes such a difference.”
Princess Beatrice, Business Consultant
Beatrice, Prince Andrew’s elder daughter, earned a BA in History from Goldsmiths to work in finance and consulting. She’s currently the Vice President of Partnerships & Strategy at a software company called Afiniti. The Princess also works with several nonprofits. She’s a global ambassador to Street Child, the nonprofit founded by her mother in 1993. Others include Big Change Charitable Trust, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Berkshire Community Foundation.
Princess Eugenie, Art Gallery Director
After receiving her art history and English literature degrees from Newcastle University, Princess Eugenie started her career at an online auction firm. Now, she’s the director of the London art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Eugenie is also supported by her husband who, according to Good Housekeeping, is the European ambassador for Casamigos, the tequila co-created by George Clooney in 2013. Before that, he was the manager of a popular London nightclub.
Prince Michael of Kent, Business Consultant and Russian Interpreter
Prince Michael, first cousin to the Queen, runs his own consultancy business. Few people know he’s also a qualified interpreter of Russian! Additionally, Michael is fluent in French and has a working knowledge of German and Italian, allowing him to travel extensively on business.
Princess Michael of Kent, Interior Designer and Author
Born Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, the Princess-to-be grew up in multiple countries, including Austria, Australia, and Mozambique. She studied the History of Fine and Decorative Art at the V&A and later opened her own interior design company. More recently, Princess Michael has published three non-fiction histories, an autobiography and a trio of historical fiction novels, The Anjou Trilogy.
William, Duke of Cambridge; Pilot
The elder son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, William is second in line to the throne. While currently a working member of the royal family, William completed seven-and-a-half years of full-time military service and worked as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) between March 2015 and July 2017. In preparation for his future role as King, William’s current focus is supporting the Queen’s duties and undertaking new charities.