Just because Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is in our rearview, doesn’t mean we’re done geeking out over royal weddings. We have another one to look forward to, when Princess Eugenie of York marries her longtime boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank. The couple is set to be married on October 12 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle — the same venue where Harry and Meghan exchanged vows in May. But unlike Harry and Meghan, who had wall-to-wall press coverage leading up to their wedding, you may not be as familiar with Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s relationship timeline. But don’t worry, I got you covered.
First, some quick background on the soon-to-be bride and groom. Eugenie is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Queen Elizabeth's third child) and Sarah Ferguson (aka, the original Fergie), making her ninth in line to the British throne behind her older sister, Princess Beatrice of York. However, she is not a “working royal,” which means, unlike Meghan and Kate Middleton, she isn't required to attend royal events in any official capacity. Instead she has a civilian career working for a London art gallery.
Before settling down with Brooksbank, she was known as a bit of a “party princess” who was regularly spotted at raves. An appreciation for partying may be one of the things that drew her to Brooksbank, who was the manager of a Mahiki, a hot spot frequented by both Harry and Eugenie's sister, Beatrice. He is now the the UK ambassador for Casamigos, George Clooney and Randy Gerber’s tequila brand. So now that you know who they are, here’s everything you need to know about their relationship — so that you can get just as excited about their upcoming wedding as I am.
The couple first met while on a ski vacation at Verbier, a holiday resort in Switzerland, where her family owns a chalet. The couple was introduced to one another by friends, who told Daily Mail , “There was an immediate attraction and since that meeting, they have barely been apart... Eugenie was studying at Newcastle when they met and Jack was working in London, but they made the relationship work." Eugenie told the BBC that that first meeting was "love at first sight."
"We met when I was 20, he was 24," she said. "[We] fell in love. We have the same passions and drive for life."
Three years into their relationship, the two faced what would be a true test of any romance — long distance. Eugenie moved from London to New York, where she worked for an auction house called Paddle8. Deciding to make the move to the U.S. wasn't an easy decision for Eugenie. As a family friend told Daily Mail , “She was a little scared, largely because she didn’t want to leave Jack behind."
They added that she did have Brooksbank’s support throughout, saying, “She didn’t know many people out there but Jack encouraged her to go. She wanted the experience and has gone out knowing Jack is in London waiting for her.” Needless to say, the couple stayed together despite the long distance, thanks, in part, to regular video chats. “We spend a lot of time on Skype," Brooksbank stated. "It’s great. We are still very much together."
After two years of living apart, Eugenie returned home to London, where she and Brooksbank settled into a comfortable life that apparently included lots of binge-watching. (The royals! They're just like us!)
“When I'm with Jack, we watch The Walking Dead, which we're obsessed with," Eugenie told Harper’s Bazaar. "Maybe Game of Thrones is our next thing."
The rumor mill about an impending engagement for the couple really kicked into high gear when they joined the Queen and other members of the royal family for a weekend at the Queen’s Scottish retreat, Balmoral. A source at the time told Sunday Express, “You could call this weekend a rite of passage for Jack. 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."
Brooksbank popped the question while the two were visiting Nicaragua. In their engagement interview with BBC, Brooksbank described the incredibly romantic setting where he proposed to Eugenie as a "beautiful volcano, summer setting, birds are flying."
“The lake was so beautiful," Eugenie said. "The light was just a special light I had never seen." She also revealed that she "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."
This brings us back to the present, and to the countdown to the wedding! Honestly, they seem like an amazing and happy couple. Needless to say, we have our new royal obsession, folks!
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