Princess Eugenie has returned to Instagram to confirm the happy news that she and Jack Brooksbank are expecting their third baby together. The post included an adorable photo of the couple’s sons August and Ernest holding an ultrasound picture and the Royal Family separately announced the pregnancy in a more formal way.

The Buckingham Palace statement seems fairly typical at first but I couldn’t help noticing that it ended by declaring, “His Majesty The King has been informed and is delighted with the news.”

Compare this to the announcement of Princess Beatrice’s second pregnancy in 2024 and the difference is subtle but interesting – “His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.”

When Eugenie was pregnant with her second child in 2023, the Palace statement also said that “the family are delighted”. Omitting any mention of the wider family in the 2026 statement is something I think was both deliberate and clever.

She and Beatrice have both been keeping incredibly low profiles for months now following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson’s dramatic fall from grace. Their father had his princely title stripped by King Charles last autumn and had to move from his Windsor home to the Sandringham estate.

Andrew was then arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office in February. He vehemently denies all allegations of wrongdoing, though the headlines keep on coming and his daughters have been dragged into the press coverage by association.

(Image credit: Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images)

Neither of the Princesses attended the royals’ Easter service and King Charles is said to have been the “one royal” fighting their corner in recent months. As the monarch he’s the head of the family and he would, of course, be informed of his niece’s pregnancy.

He’s the only one referenced in the Buckingham Palace announcement and it reinforces their bond and how Eugenie is aligned with the Royal Family. It could also be helping to shield her and Jack from their happy news being turned into another avenue to discuss Andrew and Sarah.

Not referencing “both families” keeps attention on the proud parents and not the complex personal situation they’re navigating right now. Princess Eugenie and Jack’s third baby is due this summer and will be born 15th in the royal line of succession, though they won’t be entitled to a Prince/Princess title.

(Image credit: Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Eugenie and Beatrice have kept their own Princess titles and they’ve not been accused of anything themselves. The Palace emphasised their status in the statement by referring to Eugenie by her full title: “Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie”.

Again, this was a thoughtful choice that sends a message about where Eugenie and Beatrice stand with their uncle despite everything that’s been happening. Since the palace announced Eugenie’s pregnancy, I’d expect them to also release a statement when her third baby is born and it’ll be interesting to see if “both families” are mentioned in that one…