How did this non-royal catch a princess' eye?
Did the queen give him a title? And was he really allowed to sell
alcohol after joining the royal family? The truth about Jack Brooksbank might surprise you.
Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebration was a history-making occasion in more ways than
one. From the star-studded Platinum Party at the Palace concert to the stirring Trooping the Colour
military parade, the entertainment was second to none. But spectators also enjoyed getting
glimpses of royal family members who aren't seen as often as their more prominent relatives.
For example, during the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 3,
viewers were treated to a relatively rare sighting of Princess Eugenie. The princess
looked resplendent in a bright orange dress and was accompanied by her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
Unlike other well-known royal spouses, such as Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle,
Eugenie's husband has always kept a much lower profile.
As for how Brooksbank won the heart of a princess, it would seem that he was in the
right place at the right time. In 2012, he met Eugenie on a ski trip to Switzerland.
"We were skiing at a friend's place out in Switzerland, and I saw you first."
Though Eugenie was taken aback at first by the,
quote, "silly hat" Brooksbank was wearing, she quickly changed her mind when they actually spoke.
She even went on to call her connection with Brooksbank "love at first sight."
"I think I rang my mom that night and was like, 'I've just met this guy Jack.'"
The couple's relationship was tested early on when the princess moved to New
York for two years to work. However, frequent Skype sessions apparently
helped keep the pair close, despite their geographic distance.
After six years of dating, Brooksbank proposed to his princess,
and they tied the knot in October 2018. Two years after their wedding, they announced on Instagram
that they were expecting their first child. In February 2021,
Eugenie and Brooksbank welcomed their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. His middle
name was chosen in honor of his great-grandfather Prince Philip, who sadly died two months later.
August made his first official appearance at the Jubilee, looking adorable in a Union Jack sweater.
There's an important reason why we see Eugenie and her family less frequently than Prince William,
Kate Middleton and their children. As the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson,
Princess Eugenie is currently 12th in line to the throne. Because of this,
she's not considered to be a senior member of the royal family, and she only occasionally takes on
official responsibilities. Like Prince Harry, Eugenie is a non-working royal,
so she and Brooksbank are free to pursue their own careers and causes.
Until recently, Brooksbank was a wine merchant and the U.K. Brand Ambassador for
the Casamigos tequila brand. But according to recent reports, Eugenie and her husband
don't live full-time in the U.K. right now as Brooksbank has made a major career change.
He has reportedly taken on a new role with a property tycoon who is developing a resort in
Lisbon. They're said to be living in the city part-time, with an insider telling The Mirror
that the career shake-up has been good for the young couple.
When in the U.K., the pair lives in historic Frogmore Cottage — the estate owned by Prince
Harry and Meghan Markle. Eugenie remains close with her cousin Prince Harry,
despite any tension that was caused when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from
their senior roles within the royal family. She has reportedly become quite fond of Meghan, too.
In fact, an insider told Us Weekly that they bonded over motherhood, as Eugenie was pregnant
with August while Markle was expecting her second child, daughter Lilibet Diana.
Brooksbank likely has a comfortable existence within the royal family,
but the one thing he doesn't have is a royal title.
While it's tradition for the monarch to give titles to royal men and their spouses,
the same doesn't automatically happen when a female royal marries. However, Brooksbank
isn't the only titleless person in the family. His son, August, wasn't given a royal title at birth,
nor was Sienna Elizabeth, the daughter of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
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