Both of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, attended university, but news from Beatrice's uni, Goldsmiths in London, may leave her feeling a little deflated. The institution is one of the many up and down the country that's facing a financial crisis, and this has led to an extreme proposal of £20 million staff cuts. Read more details below…
According to their financial report, their staffing costs have gone from £90 million in 2024 to £83.1 million in 2025; more action is required for a bigger saving. The extreme measures have been met with backlash from employees who have warned of "industrial action, including a potential marking and assessment boycott," according to the University and College Union (UCU).
Princess Beatrice graduated from Goldsmiths College in 2011 with a 2:1 degree in History and History of Ideas, and now, she is Vice President at Afiniti, which is a data analytics software firm. The royal is also a director and shareholder of Purpose Economy Intelligence Ltd, a software and consulting company she co-founded with executive Luis Alvarado Martinez.
Fellow HELLO! colleague, Melanie Macleod, has first-hand experience of Goldsmiths and is concerned about the "worrying" news.
"I attended Goldsmiths at the same time as Princess Beatrice – I used to see her in the library sometimes – and one of the things that set the university apart was the experience of the lecturers. During my Media and Communications BA, we were taught by everyone from seasoned journalists, to radio producers to film editors, each imparting their wisdom onto my young brain.
"Without their hands-on industry expertise, I don't think I'd be the journalist I am today, and it's incredibly worrying to hear that the university plans to cut £20m from their staff budget. I'd hate to think that the media professionals who taught me everything about the industry I love will be out of a job."
Slipping in the rankings
In The Complete University Guide's top 100 universities for 2026, Goldsmiths features in 71st place, but this is down 11 places from its ranking last year. They have a 76 per cent student satisfaction rating, meanwhile, University of St Andrew's, which is where Prince William and Princess Kate both got their degrees comes in at fourth place with an 83 per cent satisfaction rating from students. Now, Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward's only daughter, is in attendance at the popular Scottish university.
