Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank welcomed their first child in February of this year. More than a week after their son’s birth, they finally confirmed his name: August Philip Hawke. Eugenie has been active on her individual Instagram for years now, and she used IG to announce August’s birth, his name and show his first photos to the world. I feel like she would have done all that even without the pandemic – she probably wasn’t looking to pose outside of the hospital with her baby, nor was she looking to do a full-on photocall with the baby. She and Jack have just been enjoying these first months with their son quietly at their borrowed home, Frogmore Cottage. I’d still like the backstory on why Eugenie and Jack seemingly moved out of Frogmore and then moved back in a second time, btw.
Anyway, for Jack’s 34th birthday, Eugenie posted some new photos of her husband with the baby. She captioned the photos: “You are exceptional.. Happy Birthday my love.” Which is sweet. All of the photos seem to be taken on the Windsor Castle complex, probably just outside of Frogmore Cottage. Jack really has that new-father vibe: happy and tired.
Sometimes I think about how Prince Harry is apparently quite close to Eugenie and Jack. I wonder if E&J ever consider leaving the family as well and moving to America permanently. Eugenie has lived and worked in New York before, and Jack is employed by Casamigos. A move at some point in the future feels like it could definitely happen, especially if and when Charles “draws a line” and says that Beatrice and Eugenie cannot be working royals at all. Eugenie (more than Beatrice) has always operated under the assumption that she’s never going to be a working royal. I do wonder if the Sussexit showed the other “minor” royals that there are ways to leave the family and thrive.
Photos courtesy of Eugenie’s IG.
Since both of their families are in England, and they appear very close to all of them, I could not foresee them moving away.
Exactly and also I don’t think they need to leave the family to do their own thing. Being minor Royals, it’s always been assumed that they’d work normal jobs and earn their own money. In fact I’m pretty sure that’s what they’re already doing.
No picture of baby face? Imagine the outcry if this were the Sussex child!
So when do they start moaning about how Meghan’s book announcement is “overshadowing” his “big day.”
I really like these photos. They seem happy and that happiness seems effortless.
I do too!! They look adorable together and I am glad that they seem to love each other very much and his attention to August is adorable!! He is quite good looking as well!! I have always liked her and I am very happy for them!!
I have a real soft spot for her. Despite her lunatic parents, she seems to have a decent head on her shoulders. I wish her little family well.
I like her a lot too carousel. Something about her has always seemed very warm and very removed from the tackiness of her parents. Like she just wants to quietly live her life without an extraordinary amount of flash and hoopla.
I think it has helped a great deal that she knew pretty early on that she wouldn’t be a working royal. I think Beatrice had a harder time adjusting because she’s just older enough that she had her expectations set but I don’t think eugenie was there yet.
Frankly I think the girls get the better deal (same with the Phillips) – they get to do the fun stuff, like Trooping and garden parties and the christmas walk and Ascot, and then they do their own thing the rest of the year, and at THIS point in time the press pretty much leaves them alone (although that was not always true obviously.)
I honestly didn’t pay much attention to Jack until they got married. I remember when he put his glasses on so he could see Eugenie walk down the aisle during the wedding. That gesture was so romantic and so sweet and made me instantly like him. He doesn’t strike me as very smart or anything but he is incredibly devoted to Eugenie and you can just feel it in photos and her Instagram posts.
I root for this couple and I hope they last.
I know someone who works at Kensington Palace and has met him. Says Jack is very down to earth and friendly. So down to earth that they didn’t realise who he was for some time when talking to him.
How can you tell how smart he is? And how is his intelligence relevant? When I see comments like this even in relation to Harry it annoys me cos it seems baseless and unnecessarily snarky… I don’t get it
His grandmother was quoted in a tabloid saying something akin to “Jack is a dim bulb.” But I don’t know if that is actually true, or if she was being deprecatingly British, or just making a joke.
I think the child should have privacy as he grows up, like the Tindall and Phillips children have.
Him and Eugenie seem like a lovely and sweet couple. I wish them and their son all the best. And Happy belated birthday to Jack.
As for Eugenie moving away? Meh. As someone said above, she seems to have a decent relationship with her family members and is not being bullied by the press (anymore) so there’s no need to. But if the rumours of William being a walking rage monster is true, then some of them might change their minds and leave when (or even, before) he controls the purse strings and has the power to kick people out of Crown Property (unless they’ve got legal leases).
For their sakes (and the rest of the cousins), I hope they are getting their ducks in a row where they can live independently and not have to be under The Firm’s thumb.
I think Frogmore will be their “home”. They both have experienced how lowdown this lot (with so called “beloved” family members) can be, so he has entrusted stewards over it. It is in safe hands.
If Andrew hadn’t been so irresponsible with Sunninghill Park, there would have been a nice property that he could have passed on actual ownership of free and clear to his daughters. With 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, it could have been split into two still sizeable homes for the women and their families.
I don’t think Eugenie and Jack have any need to get out. Eugenie goes to the occasional event but doesn’t seem to be subject to the same scrutiny that Charles’ children are. The press mostly ignores her, and when she is covered, it is relatively positive. On the other side of things, they don’t have family in the US, ties to US entertainment and media, or the kind of star power that Harry and Meghan do.
I suspect the two couples are friendly and may have some similar desires, but solutions aren’t one size fits all.
@lunchcoma: I think you’ve got it exactly right on all your points!
Nice pictures and post. Windsor looks lovely.
Frogmore was bugged!! That’s why they moved out the moved back in. They had to clear out the bugs.
I thought these pictures were lovely and I get a good vibe from Eugenie and Jack. I dont know, they just seem so happy and in love and I think that really comes across in their pictures together.
I dont see Eugenie moving to the US permanently but I do think she and Jack will be the first ones to visit Harry and Meghan when it is safe to do so.
I love August’s little sweater!
I’ve been so disgusted with Harry’s problematic relatives that I forgot there are some nice ones. Lovely couple, sweet baby, I wish them the best.
I love the name August and my hope for him is that no one ever, ever calls him “Auggie”. Also, “Augusta” is a lovely, robust, meaningful girl’s name that will never, ever make it back into the mainsteam, but it should.
How sweet! I’m so glad Harry “paid off” Frogmore so Jack and Eug plus babies can live somewhere in relative peace and without the blackmail. Even with the other “minor” royals, there is life outside, and you can be happy with a good life. The extended family must be very happy to be out of the crosshairs with the upcoming heirs.