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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

Princess Eugenie left empty seat at wedding that was also unfilled at Queen's funeral

Princess Eugenie will be marking a special day with her husband Jack Brooksbank today - their fourth wedding anniversary.

The couple, who are parents to one-year-old son August, married in a grand ceremony at St George's Chapel in Windsor in 2018 with her varied guest list including her late grandmother the Queen and singer Robbie Williams. Their guest list was so big that more than 850 people packed into the chapel to see the couple say 'I do' and exchange their vows. However, eagle-eyed viewers spotted that if you look closely enough at pictures from the big day, one prime seat in the front row of St George's Chapel was left empty - and that seat was the one in front of the Queen.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at their wedding exactly four years ago (Getty Images)

But this wasn't down to someone pulling out last minute - it was due to a long-standing tradition that means nobody can sit in front of the monarch so they can have a clear and unobstructed view of proceedings.

The seat in the second row is traditionally the monarch's seat meaning that when they are worshipping at the chapel, the space in the front row is left empty.

The same seat was also left empty months earlier when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in the same chapel.

The seat was also left empty during the Queen's committal service at St George's Chapel on the day of her funeral (Sky News)

And last month, during the Queen's committal service at St George's Chapel at her funeral, the seat was left empty again.

This is because King Charles took his seat in the monarch's place and the tradition was upheld that nobody should sit in front of him.

Since marrying in 2018, Eugenie and Jack have welcomed their first child - a son called August Philip and now split their time between London and Portugal.

Princess Eugenie holds her young son August as Jack looks on (Getty Images)

In a sweet moment in a documentary that aired last year honouring Eugenie's late grandfather Prince Philip, she revealed young August got to meet his great-grandfather shortly before his death last April.

August was born on February 9 this year and holding back the tears, Eugenie explained: "We named August, August Philip because grandpa has been such a huge, inspiring character in my life.

"We were very lucky to do that."

Meanwhile, last month Eugenie and her older sister Princess Beatrice paid an emotional tribute to their grandmother the Queen following her sad death.

They said: "You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever.

"For now dear Grannie, all we want to say is thank you. Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy. You, being you, will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.

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