We've always been fascinated with all things that have to do with the royal family, but there are certain members who get a lot more attention than others. It seems like there's unlimited information out there about Prince William and Kate Middleton — and especially about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry these days — but what about the members with a lower profile? After all, Will and Harry aren't Queen Elizabeth's only grandchildren, and there are other royals out there, like Princess Eugenie, who definitely deserve our attention … especially since she's one of the most laid-back and interesting members of the fam.
While all of the branches of Elizabeth's family tree follow royal traditions and etiquette to a certain extent, it seems that Eugenie might be the most relatable (and therefore "normal") royal — at least, so far. Not only does she work her own job and have a career separate from what her family does, but she also has an Instagram account and is more free to share personal aspects of her life, something that Kate and Meghan haven't been able to do.
Read on for everything royal family fans need to know about Princess Eugenie. Not only is she a regular fixture at every major event, but there's also the potential there for her to get more involved publicly with the family now that Meghan and Harry have officially stepped down. We could end up seeing a lot more of her in the future, and from what we know about her, we hope that we do get to.
She's a pretty cool lady!
She's the Daughter of the Duke & Duchess of York
Although the Duke of York — Prince Andrew, Eugenie's dad — has come under fire a lot recently, it's clear that Eugenie still adores both of her parents, and frequently posts throwback photos of her childhood with them on Instagram. Just like Harry and William, this means that she's Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, although she's not quite as senior a royal as Will is.
She's 10th in Line to the Throne
Even though we hate thinking about a day where Queen Elizabeth is no longer with us, unfortunately, it's inevitable. First, Prince Charles will step up, followed by Prince William — and eventually George, but that's a long, long time from now. Eugenie also happens to be in the line of succession, although it's unlikely she'll ever rule; she's 10 in line to the throne, right behind older sister Princess Beatrice.
She Works as an Art Gallery Director
While royals like Prince William only work for the family — being a royal is his job — Eugenie's situation is a bit different. Since she's not royally funded, she needs to work, and it seems to be something she's pretty passionate about, too. After graduating from Newcastle University with a degree that included studies in art history, Eugenie's putting her education to good use by working as an art gallery director at London gallery Hauser & Wirth.
She Has Her Own Instagram Account
On International Women's Day 2018, Eugenie launched her own personal Instagram account, becoming the first member of the royal family to join the social media platform on her own.
"I can think of no better day than today, International Women’s Day, to launch my personal Instagram. I hope to use this platform to share the causes, passions and people close to my heart," she wrote at the time.
She's Married to Jack Brooksbank
Yep, Princess Eugenie is a married lady! In October 2018, she hosted a royal wedding of her own when she married Jack Brooksbank at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same place that Harry and Meghan tied the knot earlier that year. And of course, Princess Charlotte and Prince George were involved in the wedding, as Eugenie was surrounded by children on her big day.
She Loves a Good Throwback Photo
Anyone who follows Eugenie on Instagram already knows that she loves posting photos from her younger years — some of them hilarious, but all of them adorable. The photos usually feature Eugenie as a kid, with many of them including Beatrice and their parents, too. It's so sweet to see her look back on memories like these, which she frequently pulls out on holidays and birthdays.
She's a Pretty Relaxed Royal
While many members of the royal family keep things formal (looking at Kate and Will right now), that's never really been Eugenie's thing, and fortunately, she's far enough down the line of succession that she has a bit more freedom to live her life the way she wants. On social media, she makes it pretty clear that she's a lot more laid-back than many members of her family, and we love her for it.
She's Frequently Spotted With Her Famous Family
Just because Eugenie lives a more "normal" life than many of her royal counterparts doesn't mean that she doesn't often spend time with her family, especially her grandma, Queen Elizabeth. Eugenie is frequently pictured with the more senior members of the royal family, especially on special days like weddings and other celebrations. They're a busy bunch, but they all seem fairly close.
We Could See More of Her Soon
Now that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have officially stepped down and relocated to the US, rumor has it that Eugenie could be stepping up to fill some of their duties that they left open. After all, Will and Kate can't exactly be expected to double their workload, can they? Even though Eugenie obviously has a career that she loves, we wouldn't be surprised at all to see her working with the family in a more formal capacity in the future.
Her Wedding Dress Was Gorgeous
We'll never get tired of looking at photos of Princess Eugenie's wedding day — partially because there's nothing like a royal wedding, and partially because she ended up choosing the most gorgeous gown we could have imagined. Designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, her dress was a total showstopper. It was a completely classic look but something so eye-catching all at the same time.
She's Known for Her Unique Fashion Choices
While we're used to seeing Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle in more classic looks — both of them tend to keep it a bit more conservative and wear more neutrals, especially Meghan — that's not what we see from Eugenie at all. in fact, Eugenie is known for dressing boldly, and we love seeing the outfit choices that she comes up with. Her style is so unconventional, but she always looks good.
She's Rumored to Be Taking Meghan's Place
After Harry and Meghan made their big announcement about stepping down earlier this year, it was immediately speculated that Eugenie could end up replacing Meghan in a lot of her royal duties, along with Princess Beatrice
"If two go out, two have got to come in, and those two have got to be Beatrice and Eugenie," royal expert Robert Lacey told Hello! magazine. "I'm sure they will step forward and be greatly welcomed. It's what the family needs as it's another 15 years before Prince George's generation steps up. It's ironic that Harry mentioned his cousins as models of how he wants to be."
She's Not Immune to the Rumor Mill
We hear new rumors about the royal family every day, and even though Eugenie may not be in the spotlight quite as much as some of her other family members, she's definitely still affected by the rumor mill. In fact, like every other lady in the family, Eugenie is often subject to pregnancy rumors, because as a royal celebrity, this is just something she has to deal with, unfortunately enough.
She Attends All the Big Royal Events
Eugenie might be more laid-back than the rest of the family, but she's still included in all of the big royal moments, and she's always been one to show up. For huge events like weddings, she's there (yep, she watched Meghan and Harry tie the knot) and the Queen's Trooping the Colour celebration every year, Eugenie can always be spotted in the crowd, supporting the family, usually with Beatrice by her side.
She Founded The Anti-Slavery Collective
Like many members of the royal family, Eugenie's patronages are important to her, and that includes one that she co-founded herself. She's been working with The Anti-Slavery Collective for years now, working to end human trafficking and modern slavery every chance she gets, especially when it comes to women and young girls, who make up a good portion of the victims.
She Loves 'Friends'
It's not often that we get to find out what the royal family really enjoys when they're not busy being royal, but the benefit of Eugenie being so laid-back is that she occasionally gives us a peek into all the ways she's just like us. Case in point: This time she posted a clip of Ross from Friends on her Instagram, cluing us into the fact that she loves the popular show just as much as we do.
She Suffered From Scoliosis When She Was Younger
While battling scoliosis as a preteen, Eugenie needed corrective surgery, and she's opened up about what that experience was like for her.
"During my operation, which took eight hours, my surgeons inserted eight-inch titanium rods into each side of my spine and one-and-a-half inch screws at the top of my neck," Eugenie shared with the RNOH Charity website. "After three days in intensive care, I spent a week on a ward and six days in a wheelchair, but I was walking again after that."
Sounds scary, but she made it through!
She's Passionate About the Environment
Aside from her work to help end human trafficking, Eugenie is also particularly passionate about helping the environment, too, especially when it comes to ending the use of single use plastics. In fact, her wedding was plastic-free, which had to have a pretty big impact, and she also works with an organization called Project 0 which aims to save the oceans from plastic.
She's Close With Her Sister
Anyone who's been following along with Eugenie for a while knows that where she can be found, Princess Beatrice usually can, too. These sisters seem incredibly close, and Eugenie has shared some sweet photos of their bond on Instagram — from when they were children and from adulthood, as well. As far as we can tell, Eugenie and Beatrice are totally inseparable.
She Posts Selfies
As most royal family fans know, selfies are usually a big no-no. (It's rare that a member of the fam will break protocol and take one with a fan, though Prince William has done it.) But not only does Eugenie participate in selfies every now and then, but she's even posted one with her husband, Jack, on her Instagram account. Most relatable royal ever? As far as we can tell, she's totally deserving of that title (and of an Instagram follow).
