Why Princess Eugenie’s baby announcement broke with long-standing royal tradition

Princess Eugenie’s baby announcement delighted royal fans, but it seems that she broke with royal tradition when she posted a heartfelt picture on social media.

• Princess Eugenie shared the first picture of her baby son with the world on Instagram this week.
• Her own personal baby announcement seems to have broken a longstanding royal tradition, upheld by Princess Diana and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
• In other royal news, Duchess Camilla teams up with huge TV star for a very special project.

The newborn royal, who is the first child of Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank was born at 0855hrs on Tuesday, according to the official announcement made by the Royal Family.

However, this wasn’t the only reveal to come that day. Princess Eugenie took to social media herself to share the news along with a deeply personal photograph of the couple’s baby boy.

In her Instagram post, the proud new mum wrote simply:’💙💙💙!!’ as she posted a black and white photograph of her, Jack and their son’s hands touching. 

Royal fans were quick to congratulate the couple, with one commenting: ‘Ahhh welcome to the world little one!! Congratulations to the happy couple 👶🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️ ‘ 

Whilst another excitedly wrote: ‘Huge congratulations!😍Welcome to another baby boy in the family💙 ‘ 

What tradition did Princess Eugenie’s baby announcement break?

The Princess seems to have decided against the custom of having the first image of a new royal baby being taken on the steps of the hospital where they were born. 

This is something that Princess Eugenie’s late aunt, Princess Diana, did with both her sons outside the Lindo Wing. Prince William and Duchess Catherine later followed in her footsteps and did the same with all three of their children. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York was also photographed outside the hospital after giving birth to Princess Eugenie.

However, the Princess and Jack Brooksbank are not the first to decide against continuing this royal tradition. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex did not appear outside The Portland Hospital after their son Archie was born.

Instead, the couple chose to release the first photographs of him two days later and these featured the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland, alongside the couple and their son. 

Princess Eugenie’s decision to share such a personal photograph of her new son and make her own announcement could perhaps indicate a change to royal tradition. 

Her cousin Zara Tindall is currently pregnant with her third child, so it remains to be seen how this next royal arrival - who will be a tenth great-grandchild for the Queen - will be announced. 

We can’t wait!