Congratulations are in order for Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank – the couple are expecting their first child.
In a statement to USA TODAY Friday, Buckingham Palace confirmed the news. The statement was also posted to the royal family’s official Twitter account along with a photo of the happy couple from their wedding day.
“Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting a baby in early 2021,” the statement read. “The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, Mr and Mrs George Brooksbank, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted with the news.”
Eugenie also confirmed the news in a post to her Instagram Friday.
“Jack and I are so excited for early 2021….👶🏻” she captioned a photo of her and Brooksbank holding up a pair of baby slippers.
The baby will mark the ninth great grandchild for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and the first grandchild for Eugenie’s divorced parents Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
Eugenie, married her then long-time commoner boyfriend, Brooksbank, in October 2018. Their wedding was just five months after Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan wed.
In February, Eugenie made headlines for standing by her dad by publicly celebrating his birthday amid ongoing controversy surrounding his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019.
Eugenie’s mom, and Andrew’s ex-wife, Ferguson also defended the Duke of York in an Instagram post shared in November. In the post, she calls her ex-husband a “real gentleman” and “principled man,” announcing she is “with him every step of the way.”
Andrew, who is eighth in line to the throne, after he denied any wrongdoing over his involvement with his former friend, but ultimately stepped away from his public duties as a royal in November following his explosive BBC interview about Epstein.
Contributing: Maria Puente, Cydney Henderson
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