The Full Timeline Of Princess Eugenie And Jack Brooksbank's Relationship

In an almost reverse fairytale scenario; once upon a time, a beautiful princess met a down-to-earth waiter (via Tatler) and the two ended up falling in love. While in reality, classifying Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's relationship as a simple fairytale narrative is too reductive because their relationship has a real human element that deserves a full timeline to help elucidate their love story.

The famous duo has become a bedrock for true love, and a beloved English couple that everyone is rooting for. Despite being separated by long distances and dealing with other hurdles that life threw their way, the two eventually tied the knot at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the U.K. after more than seven years together. It was a glamorous affair that attracted 3 million TV viewers (via BBC). But how did this magical union come to be and did the couple get their happily ever after?

The happy couple met at Verbier — the super posh ski resort in the Swiss Alps which is known for drawing the "it crowd" to its slopes for epic winter getaways. In fact, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice frequently visited Verbier for ski trips with their parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, when they were young (via Town & Country). Fast forward to 2010, and the youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York meets her soulmate in the mountains. 

Maybe it was the altitude, the endorphins from a full day of skiing, or plain and simple fate — but allegedly, "it was love at first sight" when the two spotted each other, Eugenie said (via This Morning). Upon elaborating on their first encounter, Eugenie joked about how she perceived Jack Brooksbank: "I thought 'What a silly hat' and I thought 'Who's that?' and then you came over and shook my hand and I was all butterflies and nervous," Eugenie explained. The princess later expressed that they had deep compatibility and shared similar life goals from the get-go: "[We] fell in love. We have the same passions and drive for life" (via BBC).

According to the official Royal Ascot website, the swanky British affair is an occasion that draws many royals and socialites within the U.K. and can be described as the "event of the year playing host to the finest horse racing, spectacular fashion and delicious food and drink each June." It also "creates the perfect canvas for a drama that cannot be written." During the summer of 2011, the young couple swirled up some of their own drama when tabloids reported that Princess Eugenie attended the famous horseracing event with her new boyfriend Jack Brooksbank — whom they identified at the time as a "waiter" (via Daily Mail). 

The high-society event was one of the first public outings for the new couple, and it was a valuable time for Brooksbank to meet and fraternize with members of the royal family in the Royal Enclosure — an invitation-only part of the racecourse (via Royal Ascot).

After more than three years together, the couple embarked on a new phase in their relationship: the long-distance chapter. In 2013, Princess Eugenie hopped across the pond to work in New York City at the online auction house Paddle8 (via Daily Mail). 

Initially, friends of the couple noted that Eugenie was hesitant to make the move because she didn't want to be separated from her boyfriend Jack Brooksbank, but like a good boyfriend, he encouraged her to go after her dreams (via Daily Mail). Brooksbank also visited Eugenie in New York, making every effort to show that their relationship was a high priority despite them living in separate places. During their time apart, they relied heavily on phone and video calls to maintain their connection. "We spend a lot of time on Skype. ... It's great. We are still very much together," Brooksbank said (via Daily Mail). Overall, Eugenie and Brooksbank are a great example of a couple supporting each other in an effort to grow individually while also maintaining a serious long-distance relationship.

After a few years overseas, Princess Eugenie moved back to London to start working as the associate director for the Swiss contemporary-art gallery Hauser & Wirth. "Part of my job is planning special projects, supporting the artists in the gallery and managing events," said the princess (via Harper's Bazaar). "I've loved art since I was very little. I knew I definitely wouldn't be a painter [laughs], but I knew this was the industry for me. I love being able to share my passion for art with people," she said.

While the move back to London from New York City was motivated by Eugenie's career, you could also say it was supplemented by the fact that she wanted to be closer to her family and boyfriend. As the saying goes: The heart wants what the heart wants, and one shouldn't have to choose between one's professional love and romantic love.

In 2016, Princess Eugenie gave the public a peek into her daily life with a personal interview for Harper's Bazaar. In the piece, she helped paint a vivid picture of who she is as a person, a working woman, and a girlfriend by giving readers a glimpse into her everyday life in London. In the write-up, she touched on what a typical night looked like with her boyfriend Jack Brooksbank: "When I'm with Jack, we watch 'The Walking Dead,' which we're obsessed with. Maybe 'Game of Thrones' is our next thing," Eugenie told the magazine. 

This interview helped show that Eugenie and Brooksbank are just like any other regular couple who enjoy the simple things in life, like watching their favorite TV shows together and relaxing at home. While it's true that royals attend many fancy events and occasionally have the finer things in life, it's clear that even royals enjoy a Netflix-and-chill kind of night.

In the fall of 2016, the royals' trip to the legendary Scottish castle Balmoral served a variety of functions. Firstly, Prince Harry was hosting a bird hunting party for his 32nd birthday. Secondly, former Prime Minister Theresa May was visiting. And last but not least, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank hoped to get the Queen's formal blessing for their engagement (via Express). 

According to Express, an insider at Balmoral was quoted saying: "You could call this weekend a rite of passage for Jack. 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." Since she was not among the top six royal members in line for the throne, Eugenie did not officially need the Queen's permission to get married (via Royal Central). One could say Eugenie had a great relationship with the Queen and wanted to get her official blessing prior to her taking the next step with Brooksbank. Eugenie also thought the weekend trip would be the most stress-free and authentic way for Brooksbank to bond with Queen Elizabeth and other royal family members (via The Sun).

The duo attended Pippa Middleton's spring nuptials in Berkshire at St Mark's Church on May 20, 2017. Photos from the wedding show Princess Eugenie wearing a smart, dark blue dress from designer Paule Ka paired with a cream hat and navy blue high heels with red and cream accents (via Instagram). The princess was seen arriving side by side with her longtime beau Jack Brooksbank, and the couple was all smiles as they reached the church.

Over the course of the event, the two were seen getting quite affectionate toward each other (via Daily Mail), which sent the media buzzing about when the couple would seal the deal. Earlier that year, there were rumors swirling that the couple had already gotten engaged; Eugenie had been seen out in public with a band on her left ring finger. However, the couple later denied the claims (per Daily Mail). Everyone seemed in agreement that it was only a matter of time before the love birds would decide to say "I do" themselves. 

After seven years together, Jack Brooksbank who was 31 at the time, proposed to Princess Eugenie 27, near a lake in Nicaragua (via Hello!). Shortly after the proposal, the couple had their first TV interview together. In the interview Eugenie elaborated on details of how the engagement went down, stating that the engagement took place near the water. "The lake was so beautiful. ... I actually said, 'This is an incredible moment,' and then he popped the question, which was really surprising even though we've been together seven years," said Eugenie (via YouTube).

Brooksbank proposed in Nicaragua with a rose padparadscha sapphire but wanted to wait to design the rest of the engagement ring with Eugenie's input. "I didn't want to do anything until Eugenie had signed off on it," he said (via YouTube). The ring also has personal symbolism as it changes color depending on the light — a quality that reminds Brooksbanks of his bride-to-be. "Why I loved it [the ring] so much is because it changes color from every different angle that you look at it — which is what I think of Eugenie," the smitten new member of the family said (via BBC). Sounds like he nailed the proposal. Bravo Brooksbank!

In traditional royal form, the royal family celebrated Easter church services at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. What made this day special was that it officially marked the couple's first joint public appearance as an engaged couple. The 28-year-old princess escorted her new husband-to-be with other family members and attendees. Taking part in traditional royal events is a staple when joining this high-society family, but Brooksbank seemed to fit in like a true blue blood. Among the attendees of the service included Prince William, Kate Middleton, Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, the Wessex family, Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, Peter Philips, Autumn Phillips, and the Queen (via Royal Central). 

Despite some drama related to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving after the Queen — which is considered a big royal no-no (via Royal Central), everyone else seemed in good spirits and happy to have Brooksbank join the clan.

The much-anticipated royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle drew an impressive guest list from A-list Hollywood celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney to English legends like Elton John and James Blunt (via Harper's Bazaar). But we cannot forget about the family who also made the guest list like Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie and her fiancé Jack Brooksbank.

As Eugenie and Brooksbank attended the widely televised ceremony, they probably couldn't help but think about their own upcoming nuptials — since their wedding was scheduled to take place later that same year, in the same venue. Additionally, many noted the overt similarities between Harry's wedding and his cousin Eugenie's wedding plans (via People). But even though there are comparisons between the two weddings, a friend of Eugenie previously told People that there is "zero competition" between the two couples: "It is complete love, and there is room for all of them" (via People).

Similar to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank got married in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. It was a ceremony of royal proportions and a life-changing experience for the couple. The princess wore a breathtaking custom gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos (via People). Prince William and Kate Middleton's daughter Princess Charlotte was a bridesmaid while their son Prince George was a page boy in their wedding (via Hello!). 

Besides their family and friends, the couple allotted 1,200 spots to the public to watch the grand wedding. After the ceremony, the bride and groom participated in a traditional carriage procession throughout the streets of Windsor. Their big day was filled with merriment and joy as the celebrations continued throughout the day with a lunch reception, followed later by a black-tie reception, and finally a festival-type event the following day (via People). According to photographer Mark Stewart: "It was quite a big thing to go to. They looked very happy," the established royal photographer told People.

First comes love, second comes marriage, third comes a baby in a baby carriage! Two years after the couple wed, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced that their family would be growing. On Instagram, Eugenie shared the news with her followers by posting an up-close shot of her and Brooksbank holding a pair of fuzzy baby bear slippers on the first slide and a picture of the couple posing together and smiling on the second slide with the caption: "Jack and I are so excited for early 2021" (via Instagram). 

Buckingham Palace also released a statement that read "Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting a baby in early 2021" (via The Royal Family). While 2020 proved to be a difficult year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it appears that it was also a special time for Eugenie and Brooksbank as they began to prepare themselves for becoming parents and welcoming a new bundle of joy into their home and hearts.

Princess Eugenie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on February 9, 2021. According to the royal announcement, he was born at Portland Hospital and weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank was born the ninth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the first grandchild of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Prince Andrew (via The Royal Family). 

After his birth, Eugenie posted a black and white photo on Instagram, and later a photo of the couple holding their son and introducing him to the world. The post read: "We wanted to introduce you to August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. ... Thank you for so many wonderful messages. Our hearts are full of love for this little human, words can't express. We are excited to be able to share these photos with you. ... Thank you to the wonderful essential workers including our midwife who came to discharge our boy." August does not officially hold a royal title because, even though his mother Eugenie is a princess, royal titles only run through the male lineage (via Express).

The British couple has decided to embrace the international lifestyle. Earlier in 2022, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank announced they would be moving outside of their native U.K. to beachier pastures. The two will be living part-time in Portugal to accommodate Jack's new job with Discovery Land Company (via Hello!). They will travel as a family between Britain and Portugal depending on their work schedules. Eugenie is expected to remain at her post at Hauser & Wirth working on a semi-remote basis (per Town & Country).

The couple has even moved out of their Frogmore Cottage into Discovery Land Company's newest luxury project CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club in Melides, Portugal (via Hello!). With access to the stunning beach and a plethora of fun activities to enjoy like yoga, horseriding, and golf (via Hello!), the young royal family has much to smile about. Cheers to the happy couple!