UK: HRH Princess Eugenie of York engaged

Buckingham Palace announced today the engagement between Princess Eugenie of York, youngest daughter of HRH The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, and Jack Brooksbank. As has become the tradition recently, the engagement was first made public on Twitter, this time via the Duke of York's account:

«The Duke and Duchess of York are delighted to announce the engagement of Princess Eugenie to Mr Jack Brooksbank.

Her Royal Highness and Mr Brooksbank became engaged in Nicaragua earlier this month. 

The wedding will take place in the Autumn of 2018 at George's Chapel in Windsor, with further details to be announced in due course.»

This will be the second wedding in the British Royal Family this year, as Prince Harry will tie the knot with Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018. As Princess Eugenie is currently no. 8 in the line of succession to the British throne, she will not need to seek the consent from her grandmother Queen Elizabeth, cf. the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 Section 3.

According to the official website, Princess Eugenie, b. 23 March 1990, has got a Combined Honours BA in English Literature, History of Art and Politics at Newcastle University in September, 2009, graduating with a 2:1 degree in 2012, and is currently working «full time in the art world», or to be more precise, she is a director at the contemporary art gallery Hauser and Wirth in London.

Eugenie and Jack has been a couple for seven years. Jack, born in 1986, the eldest child of George Brooksbank and Nicola Brooksbank, née Newton, is working in the hospitality industry. He used to be the manager of the nightclub Mahiki in Mayfair, London, and according to the Daily Express, he is now working as «the Brand Ambassador of Casamigos Tequila, the award winning brand owned by George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman that recently sold to Diageo for $1Billion.»

The Duke of York expressed in a statement released on Twitter later today that «We are overjoyed at the news today that Eugenie and Jack have got engaged. Jack is an absolutely outstanding young man and Eugenie and he have got to know each other over a number of years, and I'm really thrilled for them.» His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York made several tweets, first writing just «Total joy!!» as well as posting a photo of the happy couple, then she followed up with «They float with laughter and love .. although a boat helps!» paired with yet another photo of the couple, before signing off with her third tweet, saying «I always say that the river flows well to it’s destiny because of the guidance of a solid rock», with another photo to follow. In another statement, Jack Brooksbank's parents George and Nicola Brooksbank said that they were «'completely over the moon' and 'very excited' for the couple. 'We could not be more delighted with the news of the engagement».

Following the engagement, three photos were released: (1), (2) and (3). The couple later appeared on BBC The One Show for a short talk about their engagement and the private blessings from the Queen.

As for Jack Brooksbank's ancestry, the genealogist and QVD author Marlene Koenig wrote on the subject in a blog article in 2016. The article reveals that Jack has several nobles among his ancestors, including his great-great grandfather the 2nd Earl of Leicester. Editor of the blog Peerage News, Michael Rhodes, wrote today on Twitter that «The groom to be is armigerous, & descends from the Coke Earls of Leicester, as does Eugenie, and that other royal consort the late Sir Angus Ogilvy.» His blog article on the engagement can be viewed here.

Postscript 7 February 2018: It was announced on 2 February 2017 that the wedding will take place on 12 October 2018.

Updated on 7 February 2018 at 14.20 (postscript added).