The Truth About Princess Eugenie And Jack Brooksbank's Relationship
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is now behind us, but that doesn't mean we're without any royal weddings to look forward to. On October 12, 2018, Princess Eugenie, will marry her longtime partner, Jack Brooksbank. Eugenie is the daughter of Prince Andrew, the Queen's youngest son, with ex-wife Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson. She's also the cousin of William and Harry.
If you're not all that familiar with Eugenie, it could be because she's not your typical member of the royal family. According to Express, Eugenie is not a "working royal." This means that, unlike Meghan and Kate Middleton, Eugenie doesn't take part in royal engagements in an official capacity. Instead, she has a civillian full-time career at a London art gallery. She has all the pros of being a princess without many of the cons. One of those cons she's evaded is being able to date a commoner without so much as a second thought to his status.
So, just who is this guy Eugenie is with and what do you need to know before the next big wedding? Keep reading!
They are (distantly) related
Brooksbank is not a royal himself, but he is a descendant of British royalty. In fact, he shares the same bloodline as his fiancé Eugenie. Are you picking up what we're putting down? Eugenie and Brooksbank are related!
As it happens, the soon-to-be husband and wife are third cousins once removed. Using ancestral data from The Peerage, Business Insider assembled a family tree to highlight their familial relationship. It seems the couple shares one common ancestor: the second Earl of Leicester, a nineteenth-century aristocrat by the name of Thomas William Coke.
While it does sound a bit icky, it's not actually all that uncommon. For centuries, the social circles of the royals were quite limited and, for a long time, it was "strongly discouraged" to marry someone outside of their class. You may recall that Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, are related — even more closely than Eugenie and Brooksbank. Is it creepy? Sure. But is it abnormal? That's a nope.
Love at first sight
Looking past the bit about being distant cousins, you have to admit that Eugenie and Brooksbank make a really cute couple. In his first ever television interview, Brooksbank and the princess announced their engagement on BBC's The One Show. The two detailed how they met on a ski trip in Verbier, Switzerland.
Verbier is a popular spot for royals, Town & Country explained. By the time she met Brooksbank, Eugenie was very familiar with the Swiss Alps as she'd vacationed there with her mother and sister for many years. Despite being divorced, Eugenie's parents jointly purchased a multimillion dollar chalet in 2015 as a "family investment."
With the perfect backdrop, the tone was set for a romantic meeting. "Love at first sight," Brooksbank gushed to Matt Baker, the interviewer, with a grin. Baker asked Eugenie if that was true for her as well. With an equally large smile, the princess nodded her head. Aww.
They endured a long-distance relationship
In 2013, Eugenie wasn't living and working in London as she is now. The Princess of York relocated to New York City to pursue a career as a benefits auction manager at the fine art auction house Paddle8. Because she is a non-working royal, Eugenie was able to pull up stakes and live across the pond for a time. In fact, her grandmother even encouraged it. "The Queen wants these girls to be independent and have lives of their own," New York society publicist R. Couri Hay, who knows members of the royal family, told People.
Living in the Big Apple did present some challenges, though. Brooksbank and Eugenie met and began dating before her big move and, as a bar manager in London, Brooksbank stayed behind in England. For a time, the couple endured a long-distance relationship — a very long-distance relationship — until Eugenie moved back to London in 2015 to join the the Hauser & Wirth art gallery.
Eugenie's fiancé and dog have something in common
Have you ever known an animal that shares your same name? It's a wild experience, to say the least. It's surely even weirder when your pet and your partner answer to the same moniker. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, Eugenie divulged that her "doggie," as she calls him, is named Jack. "Yes, my boyfriend and my dog have the same name," she told the publication. "Total accident!" she clarified with a laugh.
This has probably led to some funny moments — sit, Jack! Good boy, Jack! — but at least they don't look alike. Hmm, which Jack do you think is cuter? In a picture Eugenie shared on Instagram — yes she has an Instagram account (another perk of being a royal without official duties) — she revealed she actually has two dogs, possibly Cairn Terriers. Although it's hard to know which one, if either, is Jack, there's no denying that her "doggies" are simply adorable.
They share a Netflix obsession
Eugenie's dog and fiancé may have their similarities, but she and Brooksbank also have some things in common. The princess told Harper's Bazaar that they enjoy watching television. After all, who doesn't? If she's not working late at art openings or events, she prepares dinner and then unwinds with one of her favorite shows. "It's very relaxed," she explained. On her own, she delves into shows like Outlander and How to Get Away With Murder. "When I'm with Jack," she revealed, "we watch The Walking Dead, which we're obsessed with." She also named Game of Thrones as their next program to binge-watch.
She didn't happen to mention The Crown, the Netflix drama based on her grandmother's ascension to the throne, and her early years of ruling as queen. However, she did list Netflix as one of her "indulgences." Hmm, if you were her, wouldn't you be curious? It'd certainly be hard not to watch it.
Seven years later, Brooksbank finally put a ring on it
When Eugenie and Brooksbank met, they were 20 and 24 years old, respectively. They dated over the course seven years before Brooksbank decided to propose in January 2018. When announcing their engagement on The One Show, Matt Baker asked Eugenie, "After seven years, were you wondering what was keeping him so long?" The three laughed while the princess admitted, "Maybe." She followed up, saying, "Nah, I knew, I knew."
The wait may have just been worth it for that gorgeous ring. Brooksbank told viewers that he got down on one knee and proposed to Eugenie with a "padparadscha sapphire." AJS Gems, a major worldwide importer and exporter of gemstones, explains that the word "padparadscha" is derived from the Sanskrit language and means "lotus color." These unique pink stones resemble lotus blossoms — hence the name — and are really quite rare. Eugenie's engagement ring also features diamonds that surround the pink gem, making it a perfect fit for a princess.
Their families wholeheartedly approve
"The Duke and Duchess of York are delighted to announce the engagement of Princess Eugenie to Mr Jack Brooksbank," read the official royal statement. It seems that Eugenie's parents truly are delighted about their daughter's decision to marry Brooksbank. When sharing a picture of the newly engaged couple cuddling and smiling on a boat, Eugenie's mom, Sarah Ferguson, wrote, "They float with laughter and love .. although a boat helps!"
Both Eugenie and Brooksbank say other members of their families are thrilled as well. Eugenie claimed both the Queen, whom she calls Granny, and her grandfather are "very happy." Of his family, Brooksbank said, "Mum and dad are great!" Eugenie added, "They're really, really wonderful people and they've been so lovely in this whole time." After dating for seven years, Eugenie said they've all gotten to know each other very well and even feels like her fiancé's parents are essentially parents to her, too. How sweet is that?
The couple lives next door to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
It's true that Eugenie doesn't have any official royal responsibilities. Yet and still, she is a royal — and lives like one, too. Before the princess and Brooksbank moved into together, Eugenie rented a four-bedroom apartment with her sister at St. James's Palace. That changed in April 2018, as People confirmed, when Eugenie and Brooksbank decided to live together in Ivy Cottage. The couple now lives just a stone's throw away from Nottingham Cottage, the two-bedroom home of Eugenie's royal cousin, Prince Harry, and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.
Both cottages are located within Kensington Palace, which means they also live just a short walk from Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children. As both the Ivy and Nottingham cottages are pretty tiny, you'd have to imagine most cousinly get-togethers take place at William and Middleton's massive four-story, 20-room apartment.
Nevertheless, even if you have the tiniest house in Kensington Palace, you still live in a palace.
What about those royal titles?
When Prince William married a "commoner," his wife was bestowed a royal title. The same is true for Meghan Markle. So, then, what will Brooksbank be called when he marries into the royal family? Perhaps Duke of Somewhere or Another? No, as it turns out, his name will simply be Jack Brooksbank. Royal expert Marlene Eilers Koenig told Hello!, "Jack will not be getting any title from the Queen."
According to Koenig, this decision was actually made back in the '90s. Due to the scandals involving their mother, it was determined that "the York princesses would not carry out official duties," Koenig explained. In the 1990s, it was also the thinking that the princesses would go on to give up their royal titles upon getting married. However, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. "I sincerely doubt that Eugenie will ... relinquish her title," Koenig told the magazine. Long live the princess!
Don't worry, they'll still have a royal wedding
So what if the Queen isn't going to give Jack Brooksbank a royal title? He and Princess Eugenie still get to have an epic — and royal — wedding. If you tuned in to livestream Harry and Meghan's ceremony, then you already got a sneak peek of Eugenie and Brooksbank's big day.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, released a statement on Twitter saying his daughter will wed Brooksbank on October 12, 2018 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle — the same venue Harry and Meghan chose to use back in May 2018. But, will we get to see it?
Unfortunately, the couple has yet to say if the wedding will be televised or not. Some royal weddings have been kept private, like Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones' ceremony, so there's really no guessing as to what the couple will decide. All we can do is hope that it'll air — or find a way to get invited. The former is probably more likely.