Only one of Princess Eugenie’s three children will join a unique group of very special babies, of which the current sole member is Princess Beatrice’s youngest daughter, Athena.
Eugenie announced on Monday (4 May) that she and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, were set to welcome a third child later this year.
The 36-year-old took to Instagram, where she uploaded a snap of their two sons, August, five, and Ernest, two, looking at an ultrasound picture, captioned: “Baby Brooksbank due 2026!”
Eugenie and Jack’s future addition will arrive less than two years after her big sister, Princess Beatrice, 37, welcomed a baby girl with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Princess Eugenie shared the happy news on Monday (Instagram/@princesseugenie)
Upon her birth in January 2025, baby Athena became the first Royal Family member to be part of Generation Beta – an elite group of babies born between 2025 and 2039, who could prove the first to live into the 22nd century.
Beatrice and Eduardo’s eldest child, another daughter named Sienna, four, was born too early to join said group, however, like cousins August and Ernest.
Athena will be joined by Eugenie’s incoming arrival, though.
According to demographer and consultant Mark McCrindle, Generation Beta babies will ‘grow up in a world shaped by breakthroughs in technology, evolving social norms, and an increasing focus on sustainability and global citizenship’.
Writing in his blog last year, he also predicted: “Generation Beta will also inherit a world grappling with major societal challenges.
Athena is the first Gen B royal (Instagram/@edomapellimozzi)
“With climate change, global population shifts, and rapid urbanisation at the forefront, sustainability will not just be a preference but an expectation. This generation will be raised by Millennial and older Gen Z parents, many of whom prioritise adaptability, equality, and eco-consciousness in their parenting.”
He added that these Gen B babies will be ‘more globally minded, community-focused, and collaborative than ever before’ as their upbringing will ’emphasise the importance of innovation not just for convenience, but for solving the pressing challenges of their time’.
One major downside McCrindle pointed out, however, was that social connection could look very different for Gen Beta babies.
“Born into a world of always-on technology, they will navigate friendships, education, and careers in an era where digital interaction is the default,” he explained. “However, curating their own digital identities with safety and wisdom (driven by their parents) will be a priority, as will helping them foster a strong sense of individuality – both in online and offline environments.”
Princess Beatrice gave birth to baby Athena in January of last year (JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Thankfully, McCrindle believes this reality will afford Gen Bs ‘the balance between hyper-connectivity and personal expression’, adding: “They’ll redefine what it means to belong, blending in-person relationships with global digital communities.”