Yesterday we were treated to some very jolly news that Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, had welcomed their first child into the world – a baby boy who is as yet unnamed. But did you notice that the way that Eugenie, who is Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's daughter, chose to share her happy announcement has broken a long-standing royal tradition?
In choosing to share her news via the means of a picture of the baby's tiny hand, alongside her own and Jack's, Eugenie has foregone the custom of the first image of the child being taken on the steps outside of the hospital where they were born. It's something that Princess Diana did with both Prince William and Prince Harry, outside the Lindo Wing in London, and that Kate Middleton did with each of her three children; George, Charlotte and Louis in the same spot.
For her Instagram post, Eugenie captioned the intimate black and white image of her new little family with three blue heart emojis and some excited exclamation points: "💙💙💙!!"
Another difference in Eugenie's announcement is the time delay too – she and the palace first posted about her new addition eight hours after the birth, whereas in the past the news would typically be broken within hours.
It's a bold and modern move on Eugenie's behalf and echoes the way she chose to announce her pregnancy too, with a decidedly more personal approach. She graciously shared that news with the world on social media alongside a shot of some adorable teeny weeny bear slippers, with the words "Jack and I are so excited for early 2021... 👶🏻 "
Meghan Markle also bucked the trend of posing with her newborn on the steps when she decided to forgo a photoshoot with her young son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Instead, she and husband Prince Harry posed for official pictures, alongside the Queen and Prince Philip, and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, that were released two days later.
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Perhaps Eugenie's method of announcing the birth of her child is a signal of permanent change for the royals moving forward? Or maybe her choice to avoid being photographed outside the hospital is related to the ongoing pandemic?
Either way, we're delighted for her and Jack and hope to see more photos of their little one as and when they're ready to share them!
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
