Sarah Ferguson has been told she has “no choice” but to take a back seat in her daughters’ lives after Princess Eugenie’s pregnancy announcement. Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank will welcome their third child this summer, with King Charles “delighted” at the news, Buckingham Palace said on Monday. The new arrival will be the fifth grandchild of the former Duke and Duchess of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, after the birth of Princess Beatrice‘s daughter Athena Mapelli Mozzi last January.
While the former couple were last seen together at Athena’s christening in December, their involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal will likely force them to keep an even lower profile amid heightened attention on their youngest daughter, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said. He told the Express: “This is very happy news and has been welcomed by the King who is known to be extremely fond of his nieces. Sarah Ferguson will undoubtedly be delighted. However, as we saw with Andrew when Athena was christened last December, she will have to keep a low profile. He was not included in the Christening photographs and nor was she.”
Mr Fitzwilliams added: “There may be possibilities for interviews if she decides to go down that path, but there are no comeback possibilities after recent events.
“Taking a backseat isn’t in her nature, but for Eugenie’s sake, she has no choice.”
Eugenie announced the news by sharing a photo of her two sons August, five, and Ernest, two, holding a picture of a baby scan on Instagram.
The baby, who won’t be an HRH, will be 15th in line to the throne, with their great uncle, the Duke of Edinburgh, moving down to 16th place.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they expecting their third child together, due this summer.
“August and Ernest are also very excited to have another sibling in the family. His Majesty The King has been informed and is delighted with the news.”
The announcement has been seen as a show of support for Eugenie despite the troubles surrounding her father, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in February.
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