Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are expecting their first child — here’s a look back at their relationship

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After tying the knot at Windsor Castle in 2018, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are expecting their first child.

Eugenie announced the news on Instagram on Friday, writing, «Jack and I are so excited for early 2021 …» with a baby emoji (Eugenie is one of the only royals with a personal Instagram account).

Here’s a look back at their royal romance.

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2010: Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank met in Verbier, a ski resort in Switzerland popular with royals, through mutual friends.

Eugenie, the youngest daughter of the Queen’s son Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, was 20 years old and Brooksbank was 24. He told the BBC that it was «love at first sight.»

2011: They attended Royal Ascot together, their first royal event as a couple.

Kate Middleton was only invited to the horse race after marrying Prince William in 2011. Since Eugenie isn’t a full-fledged working royal, she was able to bring a date who wasn’t a spouse.

2012: They hit the red carpet at the UK premiere of «The Dark Knight Rises.»

Though Eugenie isn’t a full-time princess, she still frequents royal engagements such as charity events and red carpets.

2013: When Eugenie moved to New York, she and Brooksbank continued to date long distance.

Eugenie moved to New York City to work for the auction house Paddle8 in Little Italy. Brooksbank remained in London, working as the manager of Mahiki, a club and cocktail bar.

«We spend a lot of time on Skype,» Brooksbank told The Daily Mail in 2013. «It’s great. We are still very much together.»

2014: They found time to attend Wimbledon together.

Eugenie decided to attend Wimbledon in 2014 at the last minute in order to support competitor Eugenie Bouchard, who is named for the princess and expressed the desire to meet her, according to The Telegraph. Plus, she got to see her beau.

2015: Eugenie moved back to London.

She began working as the associate director of Hauser & Wirth, a contemporary art gallery with a branch in London.

May 2016: They’ve been inseparable ever since, attending events like the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

In a 2016 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Eugenie mentioned Brooksbank while talking about her daily life in London, including their favorite TV shows.

«When I’m with Jack, we watch ‘The Walking Dead,’ which we’re obsessed with. Maybe ‘Game of Thrones’ is our next thing,» she said.

She also told the magazine that they enjoy going out for dinner and trying new restaurants.

September 2016: Brooksbank joined the royal family at Balmoral Castle to celebrate Prince Harry’s 32nd birthday, sparking engagement rumors.

«You could call this weekend a rite of passage for Jack,» a source told Express in 2016. «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.»

Princess Eugenie is pictured riding with Prince Harry to Balmoral Castle in 2016.

2017: They continued attending royal events together, stepping out at Pippa Middleton’s wedding.

Pippa Middleton married financier James Matthews at St. Mark’s Church in Englefield, Berkshire. Tennis star Roger Federer, Prince William, Prince Harry, and British reality star Spencer Matthews (the groom’s brother and best man) were also in attendance.

January 22, 2018: After seven years together, the couple announced their engagement.

Brooksbank proposed while they were overlooking a lake at sunset while on vacation in Nicaragua.

«The lake was so beautiful,» Eugenie told the BBC of the moment he proposed. «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.»

Before they announced their engagement, the couple moved to Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace.

October 2018: The couple wed at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same place where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle held their wedding.

Eugenie wore a dress designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos that showed off her scar from scoliosis correctional surgery. She told ITV’s «This Morning» that she intentionally chose a low-back wedding dress to honor her surgery and challenge conventional beauty standards.

September 2020: Eugenie, 30, and Brooksbank, 34, announced they’re expecting their first child.

She shared the news on Instagram with a photo showing the couple holding a pair of bear slippers. Jack and I are so excited for early 2021….» the caption read.

The royal family’s Instagram account also shared the news, writing, «Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr. Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting a baby in early 2021.

«The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, Mr. and Mrs. George Brooksbank, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted with the news.»

• Read more:
• Princess Eugenie shared a rare photo of her scoliosis scar and encouraged fans to share their own
• The 26 most iconic royal fashion moments from the past decade
• 7 under-the-radar royals from around the world that you can follow on Instagram

Source: insider.com