London, May 4 (PTI) Britain’s King Charles III is "delighted” as his niece, Princess Eugenie, announced her third pregnancy, Buckingham Palace said on Sunday.
The daughter of the King’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and Sarah Ferguson announced the news on Instagram with a post titled "Baby Brooksbank due 2026!"
“Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their third child together, due this summer," the palace said in a statement.
“August (aged 5) and Ernest (aged 2) are also very excited to have another sibling join the family. His Majesty the King has been informed and is delighted with the news," the palace said.
The new royal will not have the title of His or Her Royal Highness but will be 15th in line to the British throne, ahead of his or her great-uncle and Charles’ youngest brother Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The news comes as Eugenie’s husband Brooksbank celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday. He and the Princess married in October 2018 and welcomed their first child August in February 2021. Ernest, their second son, was born in May 2023.
Their third baby will be a fifth grandchild for the princess's father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles, styles and honours by King Charles last year after further details of his alleged connections with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein hit the headlines.
Andrew was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after correspondence in the Epstein files suggested he may have passed on sensitive trade information. He was released under investigation after spending 11 hours in custody and has denied any wrongdoing.