Princess Eugenie has marked her husband Jack Brooksbank's 40th birthday with a heartfelt Instagram tribute, her first social media post since her father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested in February. The couple, who married in 2018 after meeting in March 2010, have been together for nearly 16 years.
Birthday Post Details
The princess shared a series of photos on her Instagram story, beginning with a picture of Brooksbank lounging on a sunny beach, captioned "Happy 40th my love." A second image showed him playing with their eldest son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, running along the sand. A third photo, taken around 2011, featured Brooksbank wearing a sombrero with the caption "Here's to another 16... xx," referencing their relationship's start. A final image was a recent beach selfie of the smiling couple. The posts were briefly taken down and re-uploaded with adjusted captions.
Public Appearances Amid Scandal
Eugenie has largely stayed silent on Instagram since revelations about her father's ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. However, she was seen publicly twice this week: first at a wedding in Sicily for hotelier Charles Forte and designer Georgie Wright, and then on Saturday in London, having lunch with her sister Beatrice in Mayfair.
The scandal has also implicated Eugenie's mother, Sarah Ferguson. Court documents suggest Ferguson introduced her daughters to Epstein in 2009, when Eugenie was 19 and Beatrice 21, for lunch in Miami after Epstein's release from prison for child sex offences. Ferguson's emails to Epstein, seeking financial help and describing him as a "generous friend," have further fuelled controversy.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's Legal Troubles
Andrew stepped back from public life after a 2019 BBC Newsnight interview. He was arrested on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, related to allegations he sent confidential documents to Epstein while serving as a trade envoy. He denies all wrongdoing, settling a civil case with Virginia Giuffre out of court. A second accuser has come forward following the release of Epstein files in January.
