Princess Eugenie and Husband
Princess Eugenie / Instagram

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank announced on 4 May via Instagram and an official Buckingham Palace statement that they are expecting their third child together. Days later, images published by entertainment outlets on 18 May showed Jack leaving a Dior store on Bond Street in London.

With his hand in his pocket and a rucksack on his back, he appeared stony-faced in photographs later circulated online. This contrasted with the beaming smile he had given onlookers just hours earlier during a date night in Notting Hill with his pregnant wife ahead of the announcement.

Buckingham Palace formally confirmed the pregnancy in a statement issued on behalf of King Charles III, who was described as 'delighted,' while Eugenie also announced the news on Instagram.

Now, sources quoted in entertainment reporting say concerns have been circulating within Eugenie's private circle, although these accounts come from unnamed friends and insiders and have not been independently verified.

Insiders suggested Jack had been on what they described as a quiet mission to pick up a gift for his wife on the day he was seen at the Dior store. It was framed as a private gesture, something intended to lift spirits. No details were given about what was purchased, though the sighting has naturally prompted speculation about a personal shopping trip rather than anything more routine.

Pressure Builds Following Andrew Arrest and Charity Scrutiny

There has also been wider pressure surrounding the princess in recent months. First came the shock arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on 19 February 2026 at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where Thames Valley Police detained him on suspicion of misconduct in public office before releasing him later the same day under investigation and without charge.

Then came reporting that her anti-slavery charity, The Anti-Slavery Collective, was being assessed by the Charity Commission over concerns relating to its spending. The regulator has said it is reviewing issues raised in media coverage, though no formal inquiry or findings have been announced.

'Eugenie's under so much pressure right now, as if everything with her dad wasn't enough, she's now got this situation with her charity being reviewed by the Charity Commission, it's almost too much to take,' a source tells Woman's Day. No public statement has been issued by Buckingham Palace or the charity addressing the matter.

Harry Link and Sussex Ties Resurface

While the source says Eugenie's inner circle has 'shrunk considerably,' her cousin Prince Harry is described as one of the few people she can still trust.

The last widely reported public appearance of Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry came in February 2022, when the pair were seen together at the Super Bowl in California, sitting side by side inside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

'He has always been one of her favourite people,' the source said. 'She lost a lot of points within the family when she refused to freeze him out but she says there was never a chance she'd turn on him.'

The insider added that Eugenie has felt increasingly supported by Harry and Meghan in recent years, describing them as among her strongest personal allies.

'She's even gone so far as to say they've been integral to her survival,' the source said. 'Having at least one person from the family who tells her she doesn't deserve any of this has meant everything to her.'

The source also suggested Eugenie has a 'connection' and a 'ton of empathy' for Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, noting that she has maintained contact with Harry and Meghan since their move to the US in 2020, despite wider royal divisions.

At one point the insider summed it up more bluntly, saying the bond between them has only deepened as tensions within the wider family continue to play out in public.

'Now that [Eugenie's] felt firsthand what it's like to have the entire establishment aligned against you, their bond is that much stronger,' they explained.

The characterisation reflects claims attributed to unnamed sources and has not been confirmed by Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle or Buckingham Palace. None of the parties have publicly addressed the descriptions of family dynamics set out in the reporting.

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