Jack and Eugenie smiling at book launch in 2021© Getty

Princess Eugenie's baby Ernest already has the sweetest nickname

Proud grandmother Sarah, Duchess of York shared more details about her new grandson, Ernest Brooksbank

Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
June 15, 2023

Princess Eugenie's baby boy is just over two weeks old and little Ernest already has the sweetest family nickname.

Proud grandmother Sarah, Duchess of York, 63, revealed her new grandson's moniker as she spoke about her fun weekend with her family.

"So my grandchildren had the most incredible weekend," she said on the latest episode of her podcast Tea Talks.

"I was very lucky. I had everybody in. I had Edo and Beatrice and Jack and Eugenie and August and new Ernest. Well, Ernie."

Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank was born on 30 May at London's Portland Hospital, with Eugenie announcing her second son's birth on Instagram six days after his arrival.

Princess Eugenie new baby Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank© Instagram / @princesseugenie
Little Ernest, known as Ernie, was born on 30 May
© Instagram / @princesseugenie
Princess Eugenie's son August was pictured meeting his baby brother Ernest

The princess, 33, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, are also parents to eldest son, August, born in February 2021, whom they affectionately call "Augie".

Sarah also spoke about her 20-month-old granddaughter, Sienna, who is Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's daughter.

She described the tot as "just a completely independent fabulous joy".

© Instagram / @princesseugenie
Sarah's eldest grandchildren, Sienna and August

The Duchess continued: "And she has a relationship with Beatrice the same relationship I have, which is only mummy, mummy is mummy. And no one else does, just mummy.

"And I still have that with Beatrice and she's 34. And I wrote to her this morning, I said, 'Beatrice, the relationship you have with Sienna is the same relationship I have with you.'"

© Instagram / @princesseugenie
Beatrice, Sarah and Eugenie are incredibly close

Sarah added: "Beatrice and Eugenie both want their mummy, which is kind of nice. We're a tripod."

The special meaning behind Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank's name

Ernest's great-great-great grandfather was King George V who also had Ernest as a middle name – with his full name being George Frederick Ernest Albert.

His middle name is also a touching tribute to dad Jack's father George who passed away in 2021.

© Getty
One of baby Ernest's middle names pay tribute to Jack's late father, George

Ronnie is a nod to Sarah, Duchess of York's father, the former royal polo manager Major Ronald Ferguson, who died in 2003. The Duchess revealed she was moved to tears by Eugenie and Jack's gesture after they revealed their newborn's name.

© Getty
Sarah pictured with her father, Major Ronald Ferguson, in 1988

Speaking about her new grandchild for the first time on her podcast, the author said: "When Jack and Eugenie told me, it was so moving that they had put my dad in there. It was so kind, I thought. It made me cry."

Sarah, who is known to her now-three grandchildren as GG, said: "He's a very, very seriously beautiful little boy. Of course everybody says that. Of course he is. Doting granny – doting GG. He's done very, very well."

See what else the Duchess had to say about the family's new arrival...

WATCH: Sarah Ferguson is a ‘doting granny’ to new grandson Ernest

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