Princess Eugenie Using Joy of Third Pregnancy to Finally Distance Herself from Andrew Scandal, Royal Expert Claims

Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, are expecting their third child, due this summer.

Princess Eugenie is using the joy surrounding her third pregnancy to edge further away from the scandal engulfing her father, Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, according to a royal expert who argues the news could be a 'make or break' moment for Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank.

Princess Eugenie's Intimate Baby Announcement

The 36‑year‑old princess confirmed on Monday that she is expecting a baby this summer, with Buckingham Palace and her own Instagram post sharing the update.

Eugenie chose a simple family snapshot to break the news publicly. On Instagram, she posted a photograph of August and Ernest holding a black‑and‑white ultrasound image, captioned 'Baby Brooksbank due 2026!' with red hearts and a baby emoji.

The image confirmed weeks of speculation fuelled by photographs of Eugenie and Princess Beatrice on a day out in London, where royal watchers thought she appeared to be hiding a bump.

Royal Expert Says Princess Eugenie Pregnancy Is 'Make Or Break'

Royal commentator Jennie Bond told the Mirror that Princess Eugenie's pregnancy offers something close to a clean slate in a family narrative dominated by the fallout from Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Bond described royal babies as 'always happy events' and talked about the 'innocence of a new life, devoid of any scandal or controversy', suggesting most 'rational people' would be wishing Eugenie well after 'the strains of the past year or so.'

In Bond's view, Princess Eugenie is using this period to focus almost exclusively on her immediate family. She said the new baby suggests Eugenie and Jack are 'hunkering down together and getting on with nurturing and expanding their family unit, in spite of all the surrounding noise.'

Bond added that crises of this magnitude 'can make or break a couple', and argued that Eugenie and Brooksbank appear to have been drawn closer together by the pressure rather than pushed apart.

Princess Eugenie Pregnancy Set Against Andrew's Ongoing Scandal

The reason the Princess Eugenie pregnancy carries such political weight is the backdrop. Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor has spent years under intense scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein, a convicted paedophile.

Last year, King Charles stripped him of his royal titles, styles and honours after further details of that association came to light. He is no longer a working royal and has effectively been pushed to the margins of public life.

The pressure has not been purely reputational. Mountbatten‑Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, after correspondence in the so‑called Epstein files appeared to suggest he may have passed on sensitive trade information.

He spent 11 hours in custody before being released under investigation and has denied any wrongdoing. Police inquiries are understood to be ongoing. No charges have been brought.

Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and their mother Sarah Ferguson are repeatedly named in documents released by the US Department of Justice. Officials have stressed that being mentioned in the files is not, by itself, an indication of criminal behaviour, but the association has dragged the York sisters closer to a scandal not of their making.

Bond told one outlet that Eugenie has been under 'considerable strain' since the scandal escalated, watching her parents endure 'public humiliation and separation after decades together', while also finding herself in headlines over her own acquaintance with Epstein and her father's continuing police investigation.

She then drew a line under it in more personal terms, saying: 'But she has her man, her sons and a new life on the way – and they, I'm sure, are now the centre of her world.'

Princess Eugenie's Pregnancy Deepens Quiet Distance From Andrew Scandal

For several months, rumours have circulated that the relationship between Beatrice, Eugenie and their parents is under severe strain, with some commentators going as far as to suggest that Eugenie is no longer in contact with Andrew. As of this reporting, none of that has been confirmed on the record.

Even so, one detail has fuelled the narrative of distance. A source quoted by the Mail on Sunday claimed Andrew only learned of the pregnancy through Sarah Ferguson. 'Andrew found out that he was to be a grandpa again via Sarah,' the unnamed insider said.

Bond, for her part, treads more carefully. She says 'the state of their relationship with both Eugenie and Beatrice remains unknown' but insists she is 'sure both Andrew and Sarah will share their daughter's joy' at the new baby.

The Palace said Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are 'very pleased' to be expecting their third child together. The statement added that their sons August, five, and Ernest, two, are 'very excited to have another sibling join the family', and that 'His Majesty The King has been informed and is delighted with the news.'

The new baby will not hold an HRH style but will be 15th in line to the throne, moving ahead of Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Eugenie has kept a low profile, built a career away from the royal rota as a director at contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth in Mayfair, and built a young family with a husband who has worked in hospitality and marketing.

The couple married in October 2018, welcomed August in February 2021 and Ernest in May 2023. The third baby will be Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor's fifth grandchild.