Princess Eugenie’s wedding to her longtime love, Jack Brooksbank, was a highly anticipated—though notably more intimate, as compared to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding—affair, with 800 of their closest family and friends in attendance to celebrate their holy matrimony on Friday, Oct. 12.
The bride and groom, who kept many details of the wedding under wraps in the lead-up to the big day, even instated a strict social media ban on the parties both before and after the ceremony, but like any modern couple should know, giddy guests will always find a way around the rules.
As such, details of the fun-filled, festival-themed wedding reception have leaked, much to our delight. The happy newlyweds had not one, not two, but three receptions in all following their nuptials: an afternoon lunchtime reception hosted by The Queen; an evening black-tie affair hosted by Eugenie’s parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson; and a Saturday fairground-style fete to keep the party going. Below, here are five moments you may have missed from Princess Eugenie’s wedding weekend.
A handout image made available by the Press Association shows Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, October 12, 2018. (Credit: Photo by Alex Bramall/PA WIRE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
1. Prince Andrew Broke All the Royal Rules With His Speech
A proud Prince Andrew was eager to give a speech about his beloved daughter, Princess Eugenie, at the lunchtime reception, and boy, did he deliver. The father of the bride regaled guests with stories from Eugenie’s childhood as well as commentary on current events. But it was his anecdote about new son-in-law Brooksbank that had everyone in stitches.
According to a guest, Prince Andrew told a story about the first time he knew Brooksbank would be great at obeying orders: apparently, there was one time when both Brooksbank and the family dog, also named Jack, were in a room together. Jack, the dog, had hopped onto a chair, and Prince Andrew shouted, “Jack, get off!” Though the dog didn’t move, Brooksbank did, he recalled, and he even fled the room.
The Duke of York then broke “York House rules” to share a hug with his new son-in-law. Brookbank’s old headmaster, Anthony Wallersteiner, said, “It was the high point for everyone. The Duke said, ‘I’m going to break York House rules now,’ and he went over and gave Jack a big hug. It was in front of everyone, even the Queen. It was a huge moment, a human moment.”
2. The Groom’s Speech Made the Bride Cry
Brooksbank shared his own sentiments in a touching speech during the lunchtime reception, which caused his bride to shed more than a few tears. “For a young man of 32 to be that open about his emotions was quite affecting,” Brooksbank’s former headmaster told Hello! magazine. “He talked about how she is the one light of his life. She makes him complete and he can’t imagine spending a day apart. Everyone cried—Eugenie’s eyes went too. I mean, she wasn’t sobbing. It was just lovely, sweet, short and modern.”
“Obviously, they are in love and would stay in love for the rest of their lives,” the headmaster continued. “They’re immensely compatible.”
3. Brooksbank Jumped on a Chair
Shortly after delivering his speech, an excited Brooksbank hopped onto a chair to tell a story. One guest told Hello! magazine that at that point, “someone yelled over that he should get off the chair, so then he jumped back down again.” We wonder if the correlation between Prince Andrew’s story and Brooksbank’s behavior was lost on anyone.
4. Princess Eugenie Had Three Outfit Changes
In addition to her stunning Peter Pilotto gown, which featured a more traditional corseted silhouette and full pleated skirt, as well as a neckline that folded around her shoulders down to her lower back, Princess Eugenie also donned two other reception outfits that have made headlines all on their own.
The first, a dusty rose-colored, figure-hugging Zac Posen gown, showed off the bride’s hourglass figure. In official images released by the palace, the excited 28-year-old bride looks on lovingly at Brooksbank with a huge smile on her face during the black-tie evening reception. According to Buckingham Palace, Posen said he was inspired by the beauty of Windsor and the surrounding countryside (hence the English rose hue of the gown). He also said he took inspiration for the dress from the White Rose of York, an appropriate nod to Princess Eugenie’s parents; the White Rose of York is subtely embroidered on both the shoulders and back of the cape.
Princess Eugenie’s third wedding look was an unexpected one: that of a rose-pink biker jacket with a sparkly “Mrs. Brooksbank” emblazoned on the back. The jacket, designed by design house Gainsbourg, was an unusually modern turn for the bride to take, but one that meant a lot to Princess Eugenie, who wore the jacket to her Saturday afternoon reception. According to Harper’s Bazaar, the jacket was constructed with a silk crepe, and the handwriting actually mimic the Princess’ own.
5. The Guest List Included Some Unexpected Famous Faces
Though Princess Eugenie and Brooksbank had tried to keep their reception largely off social media, a few errant posts managed to slip by, giving royal fans a glimpse into the enviable guest list for the wedding weekend. Among Princess Eugenie’s A-list pals in attendance were Naomi Campbell, Demi Moore, Kate Moss (and daughter Lila Moss), Cara Delevingne, Robbie William, James Blunt, Ellie Goulding, and more. Though George and Amal Clooney were not identified as guests, Clooney’s Casamigos tequila was served at the reception (Brooksbank is a brand manager).
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