THE PRINCESS BRIDE-TO-BE

Prince Harry’s cousin Eugenie is also getting married this year – and her granny couldn’t be happier for her

WITH all the excitement over the upcoming nuptials of a certain flamehaired prince, you might’ve thought his cousin would want to wait a wee while before jumping on the betrothed bandwagon. But love, as the song goes, waits for no one – and when Princess Eugenie’s beau popped the question, who was she to say, “Now hang on there, hon, Harry’s already got this year waxed”?

Yes, royal fans, it seems there’ll be not one but two weddings at Windsor Castle this year.

First up is Harry (33) and his vivacious American sweetheart, Meghan Markle (36), and then a few months later Eugenie and longtime boyfriend Jack Brooksbank will meet at the altar.

The youngest daughter of Prince Andrew (57) and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York (58), is sporting an impressive sparkler – a pinkish-orange oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds – that isn’t unlike the one her dad gave her mom when they got engaged.

Eugenie (27) will, of course, be hoping her marriage to Jack (31) is more harmonious – Fergie and Andrew called it quits in 1996, 10 years after their wedding.

In a series of pictures issued by Buckingham Palace after their engagement announcement, Eugenie and Jack gaze adoringly at each other. A day later a video of the pair was also released.

Chatting to the BBC’s Matt Baker, they opened up about the proposal, which happened during a trip to Nicaragua in January.

“We had a beautiful volcano, the sun was setting, birds were flying,” recalls a softly spoken Jack before turning to his glowing fiancée.

“And there was a lake, and the light was just so beautiful, like nothing I’d ever seen before,” Eugenie adds. “I actually said to Jack, ‘This is an incredible moment’ – and then he popped the question.”

Eugenie, who’s eighth in line to the British throne, admits that even after seven years of dating it came as a “complete surprise”.

She’s “over the moon”, she added – and yes, Jack did get down on one knee.

“It was just the most perfect moment RIGHT: Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank pose for their official engagement photos at Buckingham Palace. BELOW: Her ring features a pink sapphire, surrounded by diamonds. and we couldn’t be happier.”

“Yes, it’s amazing and I love Eugenie so much,” Jack said. “We’re just so excited to spend a lifetime together.”

No date for the wedding has been set although the palace has indicated it will be in autumn – so our spring – and will take place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Which is where Harry and Meghan will be marrying come 19 May. The man set to become the newest member of the royal family is a former waiter.

But don’t let that fool you – he comes from a rather privileged background.

Jack’s dad, George – an accountant and company director – was educated at the uber-posh Eton (which Harry and his brother, Prince William, also attended) and has a family tree filled with earls, baronets, knights and even a few kings.

In fact, like many royal couples, Jack and Eugenie are distantly related, something that’s deemed highly desirable in aristocratic circles.

Jack’s great- great- grandfather, Viscount Thomas Coke, is the greatgreat-grandfather of Eugenie’s mom, Sarah.

Jack went to the posh £ 10 000 (R170 000) a term Stowe school in Buck-