It was a royal affair to remember when Princess Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, tied the knot with her longtime love Jack Brooksbank on October 12, 2018 in a fairytale royal wedding.
The ceremony, held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, came just five months after Eugenie’s cousin, Prince Harry, wed Meghan Markle at the same venue.
Eugenie and Jack got engaged during a vacation in Nicaragua
The couple’s love story began in 2010 during a skiing trip in Verbier, Switzerland. After seven years of dating, Jack proposed in January 2018 while the pair were vacationing in Nicaragua.
Speaking to BBC’s The One Show shortly after the engagement was announced, Eugenie recalled the romantic moment.
“The lake was so beautiful. The light was just a special light I had never seen. I actually said, ‘This is an incredible moment’. Then he popped the question. I was over the moon. [It was a complete surprise]. But it was the perfect moment, we couldn’t be happier.”
Jack, a former nightclub manager turned brand ambassador for Casamigos Tequila, didn’t propose with a ring initially.
“I didn’t want to do anything until Eugenie had signed off on it,” he said. He revealed that they designed the ring together after returning to the UK.
The final band featured a rare padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds, echoing the engagement ring Prince Andrew gave Sarah Ferguson in 1986.
Princess Eugenie’s wedding dress to ‘show off’ her scar
In the lead-up to the wedding, Eugenie admitted she was more decisive than she expected when it came to her bridal gown.
“As soon as we announced the wedding, I knew the designer and the look, straight away,” she told British Vogue. “I never thought I’d be the one who knew exactly what I like. But I’ve been pretty on top of it.”
The gown in question was a masterpiece by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. The long-sleeved ivory dress featured a portrait neckline, a low back – deliberately chosen by Eugenie to show the scar from her scoliosis surgery – and a dramatic train.
“I had always wanted a low back. Part of it was showing my scar, and I believe scars tell a story,” she explained in the audio guide for the exhibit, ‘A Royal Wedding: HRH Princess Eugenie and Mr. Jack Brooksbank’, at Windsor Castle.
“For me, it’s a way of communicating with people who are going through similar situations.”
Woven into the fabric of the gown were symbols that held deep personal meaning for the bride. A thistle for Scotland, a shamrock for Ireland, the York Rose, and ivy to represent the couple’s home.
Instead of a veil, Eugenie wore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, on loan from Queen Elizabeth II. The diamond and emerald headpiece, made by Boucheron in 1919, was paired with matching drop earrings, a gift from Jack.
“I’ve never worn a tiara before in my life,” Eugenie admitted. “It was the most incredible thing to wear such a piece of history that my grandmother had lent me. A very proud moment.”
Ceremony at St. George’s Chapel
Arriving at the chapel in a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, Eugenie was accompanied by her father, Prince Andrew, who walked her down the aisle.
A friend at the wedding said the moment was especially emotional considering Princess Eugenie’s previous scoliosis diagnosis. “If she hadn’t had that operation, she wouldn’t be able to walk,” they told PEOPLE. “Here she was, walking down the aisle. It was a seismic moment.”
The ceremony was attended by approximately 800 guests, including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and a host of celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Demi Moore, Ellie Goulding, Cara Delevingne, and Robbie Williams.
The bridal party featured young royals Prince George and Princess Charlotte, along with Mia Tindall and Isla and Savannah Phillips.
During the ceremony, Eugenie’s sister, Princess Beatrice, served as maid of honour and gave a heartfelt reading from The Great Gatsby.
The passage described a smile that “concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favour.”
The Dean of Windsor, the Rt. Rev. David Conner explained why it was chosen. Eugenie had been reading the novel when she first met Jack, and the passage reminded her of him.
Andrea Bocelli also performed two pieces during the ceremony, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra provided music.
Queen Elizabeth held wedding reception for Princess Eugenie at Windsor Castle
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds embarked on a short carriage procession through Windsor.
The reception that followed was hosted by Queen Elizabeth in the Waterloo Chamber, the Grand Reception Room and St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle
Canapés included beef in Yorkshire puddings and mini Scotch eggs. Meanwhile, the wedding cake, a five-tier red velvet and chocolate creation adorned with autumnal foliage, was crafted by London baker Sophie Cabot.
“I am incredibly excited to be given this wonderful opportunity to create such a special and unique cake,” Cabot said in a statement at the time. “It has been lovely working with Princess Eugenie and Jack.”
Prince Andrew reportedly made guests ‘cry’ with speech
One of the most touching moments of the wedding reception came during Prince Andrew’s speech to his daughter Eugenie and her new husband.
A guest told HELLO!, “Prince Andrew gave a great father-of-the-bride speech. There was some great anecdotes from childhood and all the way through to current affairs.”
At one point, he shared a sweet moment. “The one thing that made me cry was the duke, when he said he was going to do something he’s never done before; he went over to his new son-in-law and hugged him.”
The gesture moved many in the room to tears.
Jack’s speech also left a strong impression. His former headmaster, Anthony Wallersteiner, said he described his wife as the “light of his life”. Guests reportedly welled up during his emotional tribute.
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Evening celebration at Royal Lodge with surprise performances
That evening, the party moved to Royal Lodge, Eugenie’s family home. The bride changed into a blush pink silk gown by Zac Posen, inspired by Grace Kelly and the English rose. Posen even embroidered a white rose of York onto the shoulders.
“Zac is such a cool, fun, brilliant designer and friend,” she said in her wedding exhibit audio guide. “Every single detail is all painstakingly done.”
She wore a diamond hair slide from the Queen’s collection and styled her hair in soft waves.
Guests enjoyed wood-fired pizza from a gourmet food truck, Casamigos margaritas, and danced the night away.
A source told PEOPLE that they were surprised with a live performance from Robbie Williams, who reportedly sang his hit “Angels.” Robbie and his wife, Ayda, are close friends of Eugenie and Jack.
Windsor Estate ‘festival’ for day two
The next day, Eugenie and Jack hosted a festival-style party on the Windsor estate.
There were food trucks, cocktails, funfair rides, a Ferris wheel, and live music from Ellie Goulding.
Eugenie wore a custom pink silk biker jacket by Sam Dougal, embroidered with “Mrs. Brooksbank” in her own handwriting.
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Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank have welcomed two sons since their wedding
Since their wedding, Eugenie and Jack have become parents to two sons, August and Ernest, and have divided their time between London and Portugal.
They continue to support numerous charities and causes. To mark their fifth anniversary in 2023, Eugenie shared a montage of videos and snaps from the special day.
“These five years have been the best, and I’m so lucky to do life with you,” she captioned the post.
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