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Emma Shacklock

Princess Eugenie’s son changes everything for Princess Anne as she returns to royal position she held during Queen Elizabeth’s reign

Princess Eugenie’s son changed everything for Princess Anne. Seen here are Princess Eugenie and Princess Anne at different occasions

Princess Eugenie’s son changed everything for Princess Anne as she’s now returned to the royal position she held during the last year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. 

  • Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank welcomed their second son Ernest on May 30 and recently announced their special news.
  • His arrival has changed things for his great-aunt Princess Anne who’s now been pushed down once again in the royal line of succession.
  • This royal news comes as we revealed the hidden pain behind Kate Middleton's favorite tiara

Just a few weeks after she joined the immediate and extended Royal Family at King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation, Princess Eugenie’s second baby has been born. Much to the delight of fans, the King’s niece took to Instagram to share the first sweet snaps of baby Ernest Brooksbank, including a special picture of him with his big brother August. Although Princess Eugenie’s son isn’t named after the late Queen Elizabeth’s father, she went into detail in her post about how his middle names honor three other relatives. 

Ernest’s arrival has likely been met with joy from the royals, though the birth of Princess Eugenie’s son changes everything for one in particular. Since her great-nephew was welcomed, Princess Anne has now returned to a royal position she held during her mother’s reign.

The Princess Royal has continued to undertake a staggering amount of engagements during King Charles’ reign and it was said that Princess Anne’s coronation portrait position was “no accident” and reflected his respect for her. However, despite being the second of the late Queen Elizabeth’s children, she has now been pushed down in the royal line of succession.

Before Ernest was born in May 2023 Princess Anne was 16th in line to the British throne after rising up one place when King Charles ascended the throne last year. Now she’s resumed her former place as 17th which she held during the last year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.

(Image credit: Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Princess Anne was born in 1950, but it was only in 2013 that Queen Elizabeth is said to have given Royal Assent to the Succession to the Crown Act. This changed things so that female royals born after October 28, 2011 wouldn’t be leap-frogged by their brothers in the line of succession.

As a result, Princess Charlotte who was born in 2017 is one place above her younger brother Prince Louis, but Princess Anne follows all three of her brothers, their children and their grandchildren in the succession. This includes Princess Eugenie, August and Ernest, meaning Princess Eugenie’s son changed everything for the Princess Royal succession-wise.

She’s also not the only one to have moved down a place as her youngest brother Prince Edward and his children James, Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor, as well as Princess Anne’s children and grandchildren have done so too.

(Image credit: Photo by Sarah Meyssonnier - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

But whilst she might’ve resumed a lower position in the line of succession one of Princess Anne’s prestigious former roles was also restored to her by King Charles late last year when she was appointed as one of his Counselors of State. 

She’d previously been a Counselor during Queen Elizabeth’s reign but as it’s traditionally only the first four royals in the succession and the monarch’s spouse who have this role, as she moved down, she lost this. Appointing her as an additional Counselor of State was a wonderful indication of her importance to the Royal Family and of King Charles’ respect for her.  

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