In all of the years Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have been together, I’ve never really gotten much of a read on him? I think the “working for Casamigos tequila” thing is kind of shady, but beyond that, he just seems like a nice, stable guy who has led a normal life without scandal. I think he adores Eugenie, and I bet they really are one of those “I married my best friend” couples. So now that they’re expecting their first, I actually wasn’t predicting that Jack would suddenly become one of my favorite people? Jack was offered a title (probably an earldom or a viscount title) by the Queen and he said no, he didn’t want that. Now it looks like Jack is already saying that he doesn’t want his kids to have titles either. I mean, maybe he and Eugenie are in agreement about it. But given the Yorks’ obsession with their own royal status, it feels like this move is ALL Jack.
Eugenie and Jack will raise their child at Kensington Palace, but despite being born 11th in line for the throne, their firstborn won’t have a title. The couple are said to be thrilled to be expecting their first baby two years after their wedding. Sources close to Jack and Eugenie say that the couple want their child to live an “ordinary life” and have an ordinary name.
“Even if the Queen offered them a title as a gift, it’s not Eugenie or Jack’s desire for their child to have a title,” said a family friend. “Eugenie knows that a title can be a curse as well as a blessing and she and Jack want their child to live an ordinary life and eventually work to earn a living. Titles really don’t matter to Jack and Eugenie, they just want a happy healthy child.”
They plan to raise their family in Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace, where they have been living since their October 2018 wedding. “It was intended for them as a family home, and they have no immediate plans to move,” a palace insider tells Vanity Fair.
Because royal children take their rank from their fathers, Eugenie’s full title is HRH Princess Eugenie of York. When the couple wed, Jack was offered a title but chose not to take it, so their child won’t automatically be eligible for one. That said, the queen has been known to make exceptions to the rule that only the sons of monarchs and their sons inherit titles. The queen offered her daughter Princess Anne titles for her children, Peter and Zara Philips, when they were born, but the Princess Royal chose not to take them.
So… maybe Eugenie genuinely doesn’t care about titles. If that’s the case though, why has her father spent all of his daughters’ lives advocating for them to be included and thought of as “full-time working royals”? Is it possible that it was just Andrew’s thing but that Eugenie and Beatrice don’t care? Well… Beatrice DOES care. Maybe Eugenie doesn’t. Anyway, I’m surprised by Jack’s refusal to take a title and his insistence that his children not have titles either.
I’m calling bullsh-t on the “stay at Ivy Cottage permanently” thing though. During the pregnancy, I bet the Queen offers Eugenie and Jack a bigger place. Not Frogmore Cottage, LMAO although the Queen could offer it. Anyway, Ivy Cottage isn’t that big. It’s a classic “starter home” for young royals.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
They’d be smart not to take any titles. Everything would have Andrews sweat handprints on it.
Jack does indeed seem nice and without scandal, but to be fair, his life, character, family, friends, exes and work have never been extensively dug into and splashed all over the papers by the press and hounded by paparazzi like they do with the married-in women. In all the 10 years of dating before marriage, it appears he was pretty much left alone as far as royal partners/fiancés go.
Bless their hearts. After the crap that granpa has been pulling, the chances of a title were zero to none anyway. Jack seems nice enough but Eugenie I always side eye as she did join in the throwing of Meghan under the bus.
Bless their hearts is the most smug and patronising thing to say.
While I think it sweet they don’t want their child to have a title. Any child they have is NOT entitled to one. It’s easy to say I don’t want what I am never going to receive. She is not the child of the current or future monarch & her husband (usually where a title is passed) is a commoner.
I do like them & I wish them Godspeed. He will be taking over the reins of the Williams F1 team so I am interested what happens & if they keep George Russell(such a nice guy)
If SHE didn’t care about titles, she wouldn’t use hers. Period. She cares. She just couldn’t get JACK to care.
There isn’t the slightest possibility of the child being given a title. Princess Anne did not refuse titles for her children, she refused a peerage for her husband. The only titles her children could have had would be those applicable to the children of an earl. Princess Margaret’s husband was made Earl of Snowden which made their son Viscount Linley and their daughter Lady Sarah. The son became Earl of Snowden on his father’s death.
I always got the vibes that Beatrice was more into the whole “royal lifestyle” more than Eugenie. I think they were raised with the idea that they would be working royals but by the time Bea was in uni/college, it became official they weren’t but Eugenie was still in school at the time.
Maybe because she spent less time being raised thinking she would be a working royal, she’s less fussed about it/doesn’t care?
I don’t believe that Jack or the baby were really offered titles. Why would the spouse/child of the second born daughter of a third born son be offered titles in this day and age? The baby’s mother and grandfather are not even working royals. Charles would have actively tried to block that. I think they were just allowed to save face by saying they turned it all down. The Yorks are obsessed with status.
Agree. It never happened. There are too many male heirs ahead of her for this to be offered. Margaret was offered because she is the only sibling of the Queen and Anne because she was the only daughter. Grandkids beyond Charles’s kids are too far from inheriting at this point.
Also, The Queen Mother wanted Anthony Armstrong-Jones to have a title as did, believe it or not, Prince Philip.
Prince Philip and Anthony Armstrong-Jones were not particularly “Best Bro Forever” close but they got on extremely well and shared many of the same friends in Swinging 60s London & Country House set crossing paths very often.
I agree, giving Eugenie’s kids titles would not fit his streamlining plan. I think under his plan, even Charlotte and Louis kids wouldn’t get titles, but I may be wrong on that.
Louis children will be HRHs if William ascends the throne as grandchildren in the male line of the monarch unless new Letters Patent are issued.
Lois kids will be just like the York Princesses and Prince Michael of Kent. They will have the style of HRH but no inheritable title granted directly and held in their own right.
At some point they will probably have to either remove HRHs from Louis’s kids or give them to any kids Charlotte may have. The disparity between gender is not going to play as well as society is more modern. Charlotte is ahead of Louis succession wise so it would be weird for her kids to not get an HRH and those of Louis would.
Or like Sweden, just remove from everyone except actual person in line to be monarch.
@Nic919 – If a country (Royal Family) is going to have titles then they must be equal opportunity for all genders. I always thought both Margaret and Anne should have been made Duchesses (inheritable by their children) in their own right as children of the monarch. I believe this is how it is done in Sweden.
CHarlotte will most likely be given Princess Royal in future (Anne has the title for life so it will be long wait). So she would keep the HRH.
As I recall, they changed the rules a couple of years ago. For the crown succession, girls are no longer placed after their brothers. The order is William, George, Charlotte, Louie. So Charlotte is the spare. Everything said about Louie above actually applies to Charlotte.
Pedo is Lizzy’s favorite, and he’s obsessed with his family getting titles / being working royals. I bet he sweet talked mummy dearest into offering Jack a title, and was incandecent with rage when Jack turned it down.
An earldom or vicount title are not the same as an HRH, they can stream line the monarchy while still giving people in the family aristo titles. I’m pretty sure Charles would be against it, but again , pedo is Lizzy’s favorite
Ooo interesting theory! I could see it either way since Liz is such a fan of the Yorks. But I think everyone can see the writing on the wall that minor royals getting more titles would be terrible PR. So they’re being smart by either actually turning titles down or pretending to and making themselves look good (while also making it look like they are important enough to have them if they want).
Ooh this is a good point. Jack doesn’t even have a title. This could be a face saving article.
“The queen offered her daughter Princess Anne titles for her children, Peter and Zara Philips, when they were born, but the Princess Royal chose not to take them.”
This DID NOT HAPPEN! An Earldom was offered to Captain Mark Phillips who said, “Thanks! but NO THANKS Mam!”. There were many reasons why Mark Phillips (and Anne) refused QEII’s offer only one of which was that they did not want Peter and Zara to be burdened with a title that golden handcuffed them to the British Royal Family and thereby extension the Royal Rota and tabloids.
I think people tend to just say “Anne refused titles for her children” because no one really cares about Mark Phillips being an earl or not at this point. But refusing the earldom was essentially refusing the titles for the kids as well.
@Becks1 – You are exactly correct 100%. It just gets my goat when the “stories” are not reported correctly when said stories have been a matter of public knowledge for years. LOL! LOL!
There are also other reasons why Mark Phillips (read Anne) turned down the Earldom.
This is 100% Jack. The Yorks are all about titles and status. Eugenie seems less into it than Beatrice, but I think she would have still gone for a title for Jack and for her kids. This seems like it’s all from Jack. He seems aware enough to read the room, so to speak.
I don’t think he was ever offered a title. Eugenie is the second daughter of the second son of the Queen and with Beatrice not in a serious relationship at the time of her wedding, they wouldn’t have just randomly offered a title like that. Anne and Margaret were daughters or only sister of the monarch which is the only reason why their spouses were offered titles. Grandchildren of the monarch not in the direct line anymore don’t get that offer.
If they want to show real independence they need to move off the royal property. Until they do that they are leeches like the rest.
That’s a good point. And while I said Jack seems aware enough, the Yorks definitely aren’t and I cant really see Eugenie turning down a title.
If they are paying market rent, as the as Prince & Princess Michael of Kent are paying, I would guess that the only reason Jack & Eugenie are residing and will continue to reside at Kensington Place is for the security.
It just sickens me to see that Vanity Fair, once a great magazine, is now basic ally on the same level with InTouch & Us Weekly with regard to made-up fanfiction BS.
So non working royals are getting security paid for by taxpayers? That’s only going to last for so long.
@Nic919 – If you are living at KP then the security is already there as it is provided for the whole of Kensington Palace.
Neither Beatrice nor Eugenie have Personal Protection Officers. Whomever is being paid to watch Apartment 1A, Nottingham Cottage and the Old Stable is also watching Jack and Eugenie’s cottage.
KP may already have security but I don’t think it follows that all royals are entitled to live there because of it. Eugenie could certainly live somewhere else in London.
Euge may not care much about the title but she sure did love her perks. Did we ever see her decline any privileges? Bea had bigger hopes & expectations of status & glory.
If they get Frogmore, they should have to reimburse H & M for the reno costs, shouldn’t they? Not fair for H & M to pay millions to make it nice for someone else.
Why is it “shady” to work for Casamigos? It’s a legit company which markets & sells a popular product. He earns a salary. Is it shady for someone to work for, say, Coors, Oscar Mayer or Del Monte? Those businesses also make or process foods/bevs for sale.
I think Kaiser meant shady in the way he got the job. It is/was George Clooney’s company so it was thought it might be a “favor” job for Jack. I thought he was a bartender before that but I may be totally wrong on that.
He managed a very high end in bar in an area of very fashionable London and before that was a partner in several lesser pubs in less fashionable (read aristocratic) areas of London. Jack paid his dues to have the job he has. George Clooney and Randy Gerber do not seem to me the type to hire token will born slackers for appearances and British PR.
Georgie SO wanted not just his foot, but his whole self in the door with that crowd. It also wrangled him the Royal Wedding invite(s) and got his wife into the set with Meghan (wasn’t it Amal’s jet Meg piggybacked in to get to the NY shower?)
@(TheOG) Jan90067 – I never saw George as that type: Amal, yes, but not George.
I never realized George spent much time in the UK before he married. I thought UK residence began when he married Amal. I always thought his European base was Lake Como, Italy. Thanks for filling this Yank in.
Someone said – back when Amal got that fellowship named after her from the Prince’s Trust (presumably in exchange for a large donation) – that George and Amal were hyper focused on sending Alexander to Eton and being part of that upper class aristo set. I can see George being all about it because it fits in with his current image of kind of a modern day frank Sinatra – very suave, lives the high life, etc.
If Eugenie didn’t care about titles, why did she have a televised wedding? As for the Ivy Cottage was always going to be their family home, I don’t believe that. Where did the Frogmore for Eugenie stories come from then?
Isn’t Ivy Cottage like a two bedroom home? Seems like it would be a tight fit for them, unless they aren’t going to have live in child care. I’m sure Andrew will persuade Mummy to give them something bigger. It had better not be Frogmore!
No, Ivy Cottage has three bedrooms, Nottingham Cottage was the house with two bedrooms.
She had a televised wedding because her fame hungry, “BLOOD ROYAL PRINCESSES!”, parents pressured her into it? I don’t doubt that she’s trying to stay attached to the RF in public opinion in case Charles calls her off the bench when he’s king, but Jack has always struck me as very low key and not into the pomp and circumstances of it all.
“Where did the Frogmore for Eugenie stories come from then?”
THE DAILY FAIL!
And if he’s really not about that life, we do they live in Kensington Palace? I call bullshit on all of it.
Jack has first class seat looking at what will happen to his child when things goes south the RF will use their child to cover the heir problems.
also, he wants to create some distance from his grifter inlaws. That’s quite an albatross for a child. Being a Brooksbank instead of a York is a good thing. Ultimate irony: to be known as a member of the royal family can be an absolute liability. What a statement right there about the “royal brand”
Don’t live on royal grounds if you want to create distance. This is spin and false by their own actions.
I’m sure Jack was the driver behind this and I don’t blame him.
1. With the kid’s maternal grandpa being who he is, I’d want as much distance as feasible.
2. The Cambridge kids will need a scapegoat when it comes time and with the Sussexes kid (and any future children) in another country, this child will be easier pickings. Again, distance.
3. Non titled royal children have the best of both worlds. I’d want that for my child too.
But Jack doesn’t even have title. They have nothing to give their children, only if QE offers dukedom or something to Jack. When Andrew pass away, DoY title will come back to Crown (and I guess Louis will be the next Duke of York)
Charles wants a slim down monarchy, so why are all of these folks living at Kensington Palace in the first place?! And if Charles decides to take away HRH titles for folks in the line of succession after Harry, it makes zero sense to give Jack and Eugenie’s kid a title or property.
It’s the royal equivalent of a public housing project.
I thought slimmed down monarchy just meant fewer working royals? So not affecting family members living at KP or having HRHs. Allowing them to stay at KP was probably the trade off.
They live at KP for security. It’s still a big, bad old world out there and this is by far the most cost-efficient way of keeping them safe.
@MidnightattheMuseum – Thank you for your wonderful explanation. I am sure the London Met and Scotland Yard do not want to be called to a million different residences of QEII’s family scattered all over West End London every time there is threat. Makes total financial sense to have as many of the family as possible at Kensington Palace.
Why can’t they hire private security? The standard for non working royals as applied to Harry and Meghan was that they paid for their own security. Eugenie never did any work so why get security paid for by the taxpayer? Zara and Peter don’t live on KP for security reasons. They live with their mother on her compound and the Yorks should do the same if they want security paid for by taxpayers.
Agreed Nic!
This bullshit about Pedo paying for the security costs…well…we ALL know where he gets HIS ££££££s from!
It is my understanding that Anne’s compound, Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, has “Crown” security just like Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.
I may be wrong but I think Prince Andrew’s London residence is Buckingham Palace and Princess Anne’s London Residence is St. James Palace, I think both Palaces have “Crown” security.
Someone please step in if I am wrong because I would really like to know the details on “residential” Royal security not PPO Royal security as that I understand.
@bay – I don’t know about Gatcome, but you are correct re: Andrew being based at BP in London and Anne based at SJP in London.
I don’t have an issue at this moment with the residential security, but it does beg the question of how long does it go on? When Anne dies, will Gatcome still be covered by “crown security?” Or will Zara or Peter have to hire private security like peons? (if they even get Gatcombe, I don’t know that. I’m just saying as a “what if.”) KP gets security and in general it makes sense – its more open to the public, I think the gardens are public, right? and they have reception space and stuff – but does that mean that a royal like Eugenie is entitled to that and deserves it?
I’m sure Jack and Eugenie see the writing on the wall and are smart in refusing the title if indeed it was offered at all. And Just a bit of trivia. Anne was not the only exception to males who are the sons of monarchs only receiving titles upon marriage. When Princess Margaret married, her husband was given the title of Earl of Snowdon so that their children would be born with titles. The only difference was that Anne and Mark Phillips refused the offer while Margaret and Antony Armstrong Jones accepted.
Neither were grandchild of a monarch when they were offered the title. The current Duke of Gloucester was a grandson of George V and he never got a title offered and only inherited it because his brother died young. They don’t award titles to female grandchildren not in the direct line. Prince Michael of Kent is also another grandchild of a monarch not given a title. So if the second male grandchildren of a monarch aren’t getting titles, Eugenie was never getting one.
I agree that it’s wise to turn it down if indeed it was offered and I strongly doubt that it was offered. I think everyone who is behind Harry in that terrible line of succession should pay attention and choose wisely before accepting any titles. Similarly, I think every little girl with princess dreams are reconsidering those dreams because of what is happening to Meghan. I hope by the time George is of an age to marry the world would have moved away from the virulent sexism and racism we currently are infected with, but if the monarchy is still active, I do think he will have an even more difficult time finding a woman to marry than his father.
maybe not. lots of women will be thinking, “it’ll be DIFFERENT with me,” just as all the “dim blonds” that the rota wanted Harry to marry are likely still thinking if (when in their minds) Harry divorces Meghan. Make the Royals White Again –the rota should put it on a hat. It’s how they truly feel. Those princess dreams die hard, and I’m sure there are a lot of Carole Middletons with princess dreams they are foisting on their daughters with hope of snagging a post-Meghan Harry
@lanne, I am sure you right for women our present time, but I was jumping ahead to 20 – 25 years from time when hopefully things are different and the world is more enlightened. (I’m so hoping this is the last gasp of the narrow minded bigots) If things are different in the future and the monarchy still exist and haven’t changed with the time, what sensible woman will want to marry into such a family. It’s possible I am being naive about our human future, but this has to be bottom, right?
Why are there so many recent paparazzi pictures of these two? I was told the royals have special protection from the paparazzi in the UK that they don’t have in the US…
I was thinking the same. I wonder if the royal gossip thirsty press are trying to up interest in them or if there is drive to raise profiles so they are recruited as working royals.
Eugenie was papped with Edo going to lunch yesterday. Nice that these in laws seem to get on so well.
I think the tabloids are looking for something or someone to replace all the column inches the Sussexes use to fill.
Also, the tabloids want access to the Brooksbank pregnancy & baby to splash pictures all over everywhere to generate revenue$.
I don’t have much hope that Beatrice’s marriage will last forever, but I really think Jack and Eugenie will. This was a great decision for them. (One I’m not sure they take without Andrew being such a mess.)
They seem to be friends but it would be even better if they could distance themselves from everything royal and be more independent. It will only get messier with Andrew.
I don’t see them lasting past 3 years if I’m honest he is clearly using her, the relationship started with cheating and a rebound after her 10 year relationship ended and now he is ‘working’ with his ex. But I mean goodluck to her,I just feel like the wedding and marriage was forced because she wanted to get married in the presence of her soon to be ‘suicided’ peadophile father.
And PERSONALLY, I wouldn’t be so quick to date someone who found it so easy to ditch his fiancé and 3/4 year old child… But maybe that’s just me 🤭🤭
There wasn’t any cheating. His ex’s mother made it clear that they had been broken up for at least a few months before things started with Beatrice. It was only later that cheating rumors were started. It was mainly sources close to his ex. Like her dad who tried to guilt Edo into going back to her via the Daily Mail.
Also, he’s got primary custody of his son. So, he never ditched his child. His ex got pregnant only a few months into their relationship. They were trying to make it work for their child’s sake, but ended up breaking up. There’s no real evidence that they were ever even actually engaged.
There child doesn’t necessarily need a title because they have the connections and move in circles where everyone will know who they are, and get a leg up in society already. I always wonder why they all move into royal properties. Is it strictly for security reasons and reduced rent, because I assume Jack had a place to live before marriage.
He’s been with Eugenie close to a decade so he was likely living at home with his parents because he would have been in his twenties when they started dating.
Charles is going to need to look at the housing plan at the taxpayer properties because it shouldn’t be a discount housing location for royals who can’t be bothered to pay full market prices. And security isn’t that much of a problem… they can get it on other properties.
I’m sure Andy & Fergie raised Eugenie & Bea to believe they would be working royals alongside William & Harry. Alas that’s not the case. That probably was a rude awakening and informed the Brooksbanks’ decision to not ask for any titles for Jack and their kids.
I am willing to bet that if anyone ask QEII for a title to be given to Jack Brooksbank it was Prince Andrew.
I mean, Charles seems set to slim down the monarchy substantially, especially if you are not likely to be a “working” royal. Hard to refuse what was not offered, you know?
@Jay – I agree with you 100%. There was no offer of any kind made with respects to a title for any Brooksbank.
Exactly- there was never any offer. The days of peerages being offered to male “marry-ins” to the BRF are long past. The last offer was to Mark Philips, nearly 50 years ago. The Queen won’t do it, and Charles as King is even less likely with his modernization visions.
Titles and peerage gifts mean a lot less to they current younger generation of royals than they did to those past. The Queen has two untitled grandkids (Peter/Zara) and two who effectively don’t have the HRH honorific although were supposed to have it under existing LP coverage (1917-Louise/James).
@ TheOtherSam exactly, if anything, they are trying to reduce the amount of peerages running about for Charles ‘slimmed down’ monarchy.
They can’t want or not want whatever they want, they’re not gonna get it, this is so clearly to save face and act nighters than thou ( probably after a request and rejection), because we all know the York sisters love Princessing 😭😭😭
what’s also funny to me is them saying “despite being 11th in line for the throne” as if that is an ‘extrodinary’ close spot, because only yesterday were they disparaging Harry’s position as 6th in line calling him ‘irrelevant‘ and ‘useless‘! They are so transparent like children who had something taken away and still need to profess to their parents that they “didn’t want it anyway” to make themselves feel better!
#1 What’s shady about Jack working at Casamigos tequila? He obviously has connections aside from Eugenie or else he wouldn’t have met Eugenie (remember they met on a ski trip through mutual friends) so I’m quite sure his experience and connections helped.
#2 Why on earth would a kid 11th in line need a title? What is he or she going to do with it? It’s going to be well known that Eugenie’s kid is connected to the royal family and if dad is bringing in bank then why on earth would they physically via a title want to be that hard linked with the royal family.