Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's Relationship Timeline

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have been together for more than 10 years and recently welcomed their first child into the world. As members of Britain’s royal family (Eugenie is the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson), it’s not surprising that the couple keeps their relationship as private as they can, only sharing a few tidbits about their personal lives with the press. But from what we can see, it’s clear that these two have something special. In fact, they share something with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip: Jack and Eugenie are also third cousins once removed! Here’s a complete timeline of their relationship, from the first meeting to now.

• Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank first met while skiing in Switzerland in 2010 and later said it was love at first sight. 
• They got engaged in January 2018 while on vacation in Nicaragua. 
• The royal couple got married on October 12, 2018, at Windsor Castle. 
• Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank become parents on February 9, 2021, to their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.
• On January 24, 2023, the couple announced they are expecting their second child.

2010: First Meeting

The two first met while they were on vacation. Eugenie told the BBC that they met Verbier, a Swiss holiday resort and ski area, when she was 20 and Jack was 24. Verbier is a popular destination for the royals, and at the time, Jack was a friend of Prince Harry. Apparently, sparks flew immediately—Jack later told the BBC that it was “love at first sight.” 

2011: First Notable Public Appearance

After dating for a bit, the two made their first official appearance as a couple at the Royal Ascot. Their appearance at the annual horse race made headlines, as it was a big deal for the royal family—Kate Middleton wasn’t even invited to Ascot until after her marriage to Prince William. Since Eugenie wasn't a working royal, though, she didn't have to follow the same rules.

2013: Long-Distance Love

After about three years of dating, Eugenie and Jack faced a common relationship hurdle: they went long-distance. Eugenie left London to go to New York, where she took a job at online auction house Paddle8. The two made things work, with Jack telling the Daily Mail, “We spend a lot of time on Skype. It’s great. We are still very much together.”

2015: Back In Britain Together

In 2015, Eugenie moved back to London and started working as the associate director of contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Later, Eugenie talked about her daily life with Jack in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, saying, “When I’m with Jack, we watch The Walking Dead, which we’re obsessed with. Maybe Game of Thrones is our next thing.”

September 2016: Royal Initiation 

Engagement rumors really began in earnest when Eugenie and Jack headed to Balmoral, the Queen’s Scottish retreat, for a weekend stay with the Queen and other members of the royal party, to celebrate Prince Harry’s 32nd birthday. Speaking to The Daily Express, a royal insider called the weekend “a rite of passage for Jack.” They went on to say, “There is no way he would be invited to stay with the Queen unless he was being welcomed into the royal fold and the bosom of the family.” 

January 22, 2018: Engagement Announcement

The official Royal Family Twitter account announced the engagement, writing, “The Duke And Duchess of York are delighted to announce the engagement of Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank.” 

The couple had gotten engaged while in Nicaragua earlier that month, and in a video posted on the Royal Family’s YouTube account, Jack described the scene where he popped the question as featuring “a beautiful volcano, sun was setting, birds were flying.” Eugenie added, “The lake was so beautiful. The light was just a special light I had never seen. I actually said this is an incredible moment, and then he popped the question, which was really surprising even though we have been together seven years. I was over the moon.” 

Engagement photos were released immediately after the announcement, and they gave a glimpse at Eugenie’s ring, which features a padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Jack told the BBC that he proposed to Eugenie without the ring and they designed the diamonds around the sapphire afterward. “And what’s amazing about it is that it changes color from every different angle that you look at it, which is what I think of Eugenie. That she changes color and is just so amazing,” he said. 

October 12, 2018: The Wedding Day 

Less than a year after their engagement, the two tied the knot at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Eugenie wore a stunning gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos with an emerald tiara that she borrowed from the Queen. Andrea Bocelli performed two songs, the afternoon reception was hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle, and the evening reception was held at Royal Lodge. 

April 24, 2020: Anniversary Celebrations

In April 2020, the two shared a special milestone: their 10 year anniversary. Eugenie shared a selfie of them smiling at the camera on Instagram and wrote that they were celebrating “our 10th anniversary today… and we are lucky enough to be together at this time.”

September 25, 2020: Pregnancy Announcement 

An official statement from the Royal Family revealed exciting news: Eugenie and Jack were expecting their first child in early 2021. Eugenie made her own announcement on Instagram by posting a photo of the couple holding a tiny pair of baby slippers with the caption, “Jack and I are so excited for early 2021…” 

February 9, 2021: First Child Is Born

About a month into 2021, Eugenie gave birth to their first son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. On her Instagram story, Eugenie explained the meaning of the name, saying he was named after his great grandfather and both of his great x5 grandfathers. They chose August because Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert had Augustus as a middle name (he is the baby’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather), and Philip because it’s the name of Eugenie’s grandfather and August’s great-grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.

January 24, 2023: A Second Child Is on the Way

In an Instagram post, the Eugenie announced that she and her husband are expecting their second child together. “We’re so excited to share that there will be a new addition to our family this summer,” she captioned the post. To reveal the news, Eugenie included a photo of herself that Jack took, which shows August burying his face into his mother’s stomach. 

Buckingham Palace also confirmed the news by releasing a statement, People reports. “Princess Eugenie and Mr. Jack Brooksbank are pleased to announce they are expecting their second child this summer,” the statement said. “The family are delighted, and August is very much looking forward to being a big brother.”