‘Tells us an enormous amount’: Royal expert decodes the significance behind Prince William’s cheek kiss for Princess Beatrice at Peter Phillips’ wedding

The 43-year-old Prince met with his 37-year-old cousin and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 42, outside of All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, ahead of the private nuptials between Princess Anne’s son and his NHS nurse bride.

In a brief moment captured on camera, William, who was accompanied by his wife, Princess Catherine, warmly kissed Beatrice on the cheek- in a move royal commentator Tom Sykes believes carried far greater significance than simple family affection.

Taking to his The Royalist Substack on Sunday, Sykes argued the interaction offered a rare glimpse into the evolving balance of power within the House of Windsor.

“What we saw yesterday was a fascinating 3D rendering of the shifting power currents in the British royal family caused by Charles’ ongoing convalescence,” Sykes wrote. 

“As I have reported, Charles’ cancer treatment is working very well, and his aides and his doctors are now confident that he may live something approaching a normal lifespan. He certainly seemed in excellent form yesterday when he arrived at the wedding and then zoomed off to a horse race, the Epsom Derby, in a helicopter afterwards.”

According to Sykes, the 77-year-old monarch’s shock cancer diagnosis in 2024 initially prompted many within royal circles to look towards William’s future reign, with influence naturally gravitating towards the heir apparent.

Now, however, the King’s improving health has altered those calculations– and Sykes claimed many are increasingly optimistic that Charles could remain on the throne for years to come.

“Yesterday was an expression of Charles pulling power back. This is what Charles wanted to see yesterday,” Sykes said.

“William was making it clear that he is a loyal servant and will ultimately go along with what his father wants, per the military foundational structures of the Royal Family.

“The kiss on the cheek to Beatrice was a carefully judged symbol.”

The analysis is notable given longstanding speculation about William’s relationship with the Yorks, particularly following the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files in February, which led to the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office and sex offences.

Andrew continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Both Beatrice and her younger sister Eugenie, 36, were mentioned several times throughout the files, though mention alone does not imply wrongdoing. 

William’s opinion on what to do about the York sisters varies greatly from his father’s, who is said to have a “soft spot” for his nieces and is “keen to protect them” as granddaughters of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Interestingly, Sykes pointed out that while William was photographed greeting Beatrice warmly, there were no similar images of him kissing Eugenie, who is currently pregnant with her third child.

Eugenie has maintained a friendship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in recent years and famously visited the Sussexes in California after their move to the United States in 2020.

Harry and Meghan were reportedly not invited to Peter Phillips’ wedding, with reports suggesting the Duke of Sussex and his cousin have not spoken for several years.

Despite interpreting the kiss as a symbolic gesture, Sykes argued it should not be viewed as evidence of a dramatic shift in William’s attitude towards the York sisters.

Sykes pointed to a fresh report in The Sunday Times claiming William is already planning major changes to the monarchy when he becomes King.

Just a day after the wedding, sources close to the Prince of Wales told Royal Editor Roya Nikkhah that William wants the institution to be “fit for purpose in the modern era” and intends to “look under the hood” of how it operates.

The report specifically referenced royal property arrangements, including those that have allowed Beatrice and Eugenie to continue occupying Crown-owned homes for free. 

Sykes argued the timing was deliberate, describing it as a warning shot to the York sisters.

“That is very clearly targeting Beatrice and Eugenie, and it is making clear that this situation is not going to be allowed to carry on,” Sykes said.

“The Times article is saying: Don’t read too much into a kiss on the cheek.”