Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank are due to welcome their second child any day now, making their two-year-old son August a big brother!
Eugenie's mother Sarah Ferguson recently told Samara García Mendez from ¡HOLA! TV about the new royal baby: "Well, we don’t know what it is yet. But the baby is due by the end of May, I think. So it’s any minute now."
The birth and first few months of Eugenie and Jack's second baby are set to be quite different from the arrival of little August back in 2021, and they are bound to be thrilled at the change.
August Brooksbank was born on 9 February 2021 at London's private Portland Hospital.
An announcement by Buckingham Palace at the time said: "Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie was safely delivered of a son today, 9th February 2021, at 0855hrs at The Portland Hospital. Jack Brooksbank was present. The baby weighs 8lbs 1oz."
MORE: Pregnant Princess Eugenie dresses her bump in fun florals and ballerina pumps
However, the date fell during the third national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 5 January 2021, the COVID Alert Level was at the highest level of five. Socialising was limited to people in your household or support bubble and the two-metre contact rule was back in place.
Schools were closed once again, as well as non-essential shops, and exercise outside your house was limited to once a day in the local area. People were allowed to exercise with one person outside their household. It was March before children returned to school and restrictions were lifted.
So while Eugenie, 33, welcomed baby August in hospital with her husband Jack there for support, it's unlikely that she was permitted other visitors, and during her son's first month of life, the royal would have been largely housebound with just her household and support bubble meeting August.
Eugenie's pregnancy was similar, with much of her nine months expecting spent in lockdown unable to do the normal things an expectant mum usually does. Antenatal classes, baby showers, and pregnancy scans with family members all had restrictions upon them.
During the final weeks of her pregnancy, Eugenie and Jack stayed at Frogmore Cottage in the Windsor estate, close to her parents and the late Queen Elizabeth.
Fast forward to May 2023, and life is back to normal post-pandemic.
As Eugenie approaches her due date, she is surely over the moon at the freedom accompanying her second birth. Should she wish, other family members can visit her in hospital – if she opts for a similar birth setting this time around.
Then when the royal mother takes baby number two home, she is free to welcome any visitors she chooses. Eugenie will also be able to take her baby to shops, restaurants and baby groups – something she missed out on with baby August.
On Monday, the princess hinted she has begun her maternity leave.
The royal shared photographs and videos of her older sister, Princess Beatrice and Beatrice's husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, visiting one of the gardens linked to one of Eugenie's patronages at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Eugenie wrote on Instagram Stories: "@horatiosgarden at @the_rhs Chelsea this year, a garden specially designed for those who are patients in spinal centres.
"I'm such a proud patron of this charity and my sister loved visiting yesterday."
One of Eugenie's last public appearances was at King Charles's coronation, with the pregnant royal dressing her baby bump in a navy Fendi ensemble. She and Beatrice also attended a big lunch event in Chalfont St Giles, and the star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle.
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