Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are being "kept on ice" ahead of a significant change to the monarchy when Prince William becomes King, according to a royal commentator.
The King's nieces, who are ninth and 12th in line to the throne respectively, are not currently working royals but could take on expanded duties in the future.
"When William ascends the throne, Beatrice and Eugenie will be valuable assets, and I'm certain they will get involved with royal duties. It makes perfect sense, because he will need them," royal commentator Ingrid Seward told Hello!.
She added: "I think they would be open to doing more, because they like to give back. They have always been close to William, and the King is very fond of them too.
King set to ‘leave Beatrice and Eugenie decision to William’ as York sisters ‘kept on ice’.
Getty / Instagram
"Having slimmed down the monarchy, I don't think [the King] will change his mind, so I think he will leave it to William to bring them into the fold. I think they're being kept on ice."
Seward believes the sisters "could be much higher profile than they are now, and maybe even have their own charity or foundation".
She concluded: "And I think people feel for them because they've got this family problem, with their father, which is very embarrassing and difficult for them."
Although they do not carry out official duties, the sisters often step up in an unofficial capacity. Last month, Eugenie, 35, joined William and Kate as they hosted the first of the season's garden parties at Buckingham Palace.
Prince William playing with the tassels on Princess Eugenie's hat at Ascot last year.
GettyTwo days later, The King's Foundation announced Eugenie as a mentor for its new 35 Under 35 network of young changemakers.
Also in May, Beatrice, 36, joined the King and Queen at Kew Gardens for an event celebrating the work of Elephant Family, a conservation charity founded by Her Majesty's late brother Mark Shand.
Beatrice is also one of seven Counsellors of State appointed to undertake official duties on behalf of the King, should he be prevented from doing so by illness or while overseas.
Both sisters maintain busy careers alongside their royal connections. Beatrice is a vice-president at US tech company Afiniti, while Eugenie is a director at art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
Many royal fans have called for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie to join the working fold of the Royal Family.
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Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were stripped of their 24/7 security in 2011.
Instagram / Princess EugenieThey are also raising young families. Beatrice and her husband, property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, have daughters Sienna, three, and Athena, four months.
Meanwhile, Eugenie and her husband, marketing executive Jack Brooksbank, have sons August, four, and Ernest, two.
The sisters are involved in charity work, including as honorary patrons of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Beatrice supports causes including the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, while Eugenie is patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Charity, co-founder of the Anti-Slavery Collective and an ambassador for the Blue Marine Foundation.
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