Princess Eugenie and boyfriend engaged
● Duke and Duchess of York tell of ‘total joy’ at announcement
Princess Eugenie and longterm boyfriend Jack Brooksbank’s engagement has been greeted with joy by her parents the Duke and Duchess of York.
The duke and duchess, who have remained close despite divorcing, both spoke of the happiness they feel following the announcement, which was marked by the release of a series of engagement photographs.
The princess proudly shows off her padparadscha sapphire and diamond engagement ring in the pictures taken in Buckingham Palace’s picture gallery.
The duke said: “I’m just completely overjoyed for them and wish them every happiness,” while the duchess issued a series of tweets and in one echoed her ex-husband’s words, writing “total joy”.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh also expressed their delight at the news, wishing their granddaughter and her fiance “all the best”.
Eugenie and her fiance plan to marry this autumn in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle – the same venue as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May – but Andrew said a date had yet to be chosen.
Prime Minister Theresa May said of the announcement in a tweet: “My very best wishes to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank on their engagement – congratulations to the happy couple.”
Eugenie, 27, and Mr Brooksbank, 29, got engaged in Nicaragua earlier this month during a private holiday, the palace revealed.
The princess began dating the brand ambassador of Casamigos Tequila about seven
0 Princess Eugenie and long-term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace after the announcement years ago after they met while skiing in the Swiss resort of Verbier.
Speaking during a visit to the King’s Lynn Innovation Centre, Andrew said: “I’m absolutely overjoyed. I’m thrilled.”
The Duke said about his future son-in-law: “Jack is an absolutely outstanding young man and Eugenie and he have got to know each other over a number of years, and I’m really thrilled for them.”
He said attention would turn to the planning of the wedding and “getting it all organised” but “we can’t fix a date yet, we’ve got to look at everyone’s diaries. It’s a bit more complicated than that!”
He added: “But today it’s their day. I’m just completely overjoyed for them and wish them every happiness.”
In one picture released to mark the announcement Eugenie, wearing a colourful dress by Erdem and shoes by Jimmy Choo, and her fiance gaze into each other’s eyes.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are very pleased and wish the couple all the best.”
In three tweets – which were retweeted by Andrew – Sarah expressed her happiness at the news.
In one, she wrote: “Total joy!!” and included a picture of the couple overlaid with the words: “A total embrace of goodness and joy. We love Jack and I am so excited to have a son, a brother and a best friend.”