Princess Eugenie’s third pregnancy has shaken up the royal line of succession.
For those who missed it, Buckingham Palace shared the exciting news on Monday (4 May) that the 26-year-old royal and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, 40, are ‘very pleased’ to be expecting again, with the addition due this summer.
They already share two sons, August, five, and Ernest, two, who were born in 2021 and 2023, and feature in Princess Eugenie’s sweet Instagram announcement post.
She took to Instagram to share a picture of the little ones holding a black and white baby scan of their younger sibling, alongside the caption: “Baby Brooksbank due 2026!” with a slew of red heart emojis and one of a baby.
Buckingham Palace followed up with an official announcement that read: “Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their third child together, due this summer.
“August (aged five) and Ernest (aged two) are also very excited to have another sibling join the family. His Majesty The King has been informed and is delighted with the news.”
Eugenie announced her happy news with a heartwarming photo of her sons on Instagram (Instagram/princesseugenie)
The new arrival will be the fifth grandchild of the former Duke and Duchess of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, after the birth of Princess Beatrice’s daughter, Athena Mapelli Mozzi, in January last year.
He or she will also be the 15th great-grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the third to be born since her death in September 2022.
As for the royal line of succession, the baby, who will not be an HRH, will be born 15th in line to the throne, which will move their uncle, the Duke of Edinburgh, down to 16th place.
For context, the British royal line of succession is simply the ranked order of family members eligible to inherit the throne, which is currently ruled by King Charles.
Eugenie and her husband Jack already share two sons (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
After Charles, Prince William is next in line, followed by his son Prince George, 12, daughter Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight.
Next up in fifth place is Prince Harry, followed by his son Prince Archie, seven, in sixth, and his daughter Princess Lilibet, four, in seventh.
Currently, Andrew, the King’s disgraced brother, remains eighth in line to the throne despite being stripped of his titles following pressure over his links to Jeffrey Epstein. He’s not formally accused of any wrongdoing.
Ninth in line is Princess Beatrice, with her daughters Sienna, four, and Athena, one, in 10th and 12th,
Prince Edward has been bumped down to 17th in line for the throne (IAN MACNICOL/Getty Images)
Then, in 13th place is Princess Eugenie, with August and Ernest in 14th and 15th – this is where the new royal baby would come in, in sixteenth place, bumping down the person who currently holds the spot, The Duke of Edinburgh, aka Prince Edward, the youngest brother of the King, down to seventeenth. Make sense?
Princess Eugenie’s pregnancy announcement also came just after the royal’s return to social media following a six-month break.
One day before sharing their family news, Eugenie wished her hubby Jack a happy 40th birthday with a photo of her eldest son playing with his father on the beach.