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Cape Town – There’s a guilty pleasure that comes with following Britain’s royal family so attentively. On the one hand the rich history of the British Monarchy is plagued with controversies, on the other, an ever-growing empire continues to challenge past traditions in keeping up with a modern world.
While Queen Elizabeth II is currently the longest reigning monarch with 66 years of service under her belt at age 92, it is her successors who are changing the game and the monarchy’s relationship with the public.
One of those successors is Princess Eugenie of Victoria Helena of York.
BORN INTO THE BRITISH MONARCHY
Eugenie is the second-born daughter of The Duke of York – the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh – and Sarah, Duchess of York.
The 28-year-old is Queen Elizabeth’s sixth grandchild and ninth in line of succession to the British throne.
Eugenie has a sister two years older than her, Princess Beatrice of York.
DOMINATING HEADLINES FOR THE WRONG REASONS
While both Beatrice and Eugenie are not prominent headlinemakers, they were thrust into the spotlight in 2011 after attending the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding.
According to Business Insider UK, the royal sisters made headlines for their over-the-top “whimsical” outfit choices – something that was again analysed when they attended the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding earlier this year.
And no doubt, Eugenie and her chosen wedding dress will be in the spotlight when she walks down the aisle at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on 12 October.
MODERNISING ROYAL TRADITIONS
Being a member of the royal family doesn’t come for free as they are all the face of this one monumental brand.
And while Eugenie is not in the direct line of succession, she still forms an integral part of representing her family as well as keeping in check with British Monarchy traditions that have been in place for centuries.
But being prominent in the public eye does have its perks in changing the game – Eugenie may attend various family events such as Trooping the Colour, as Town and Country magazine points out, but she does not carry out duties in the queen’s name like her cousins do.
Thus, the British royal has her own career, which according to The Sun, includes working as an associate director at contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
Another game changer is sharing details about what goes on behind closed doors – something Eugenie and Beatrice did in an interview with Vogue magazine.
Giving readers a taste of their personal lives, the royal sisters painted a picture that looks a lot more normal that you would think.
“We are the first: We are young women trying to build careers and have personal lives, and we’re also princesses and doing all of this in the public eye,” Beatrice explained in the interview.
READ MORE: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie share rare glimpse into their world in new interview
And while having a personal Instagram account is a total no-no - the Duchess of Sussex had to shut all her social media down after announcing her engagement to Prince Harry in November 2017 – Eugenie launched a personal account as part of building her own brand within her family's.
When introducing her account, Eugenie used an initiative she passionately supports in order to set a tone for future offerings on the platform.
READ MORE: Princess Eugenie joins Instagram with inspiring message
A NEW ADVENTURE
So, in a world of making royalty seem normal, Eugenie’s impending nuptials will again become a significant part of changing the face of the blue-blood family.
While Prince Harry and Meghan made history with their wedding in May 2018, Eugenie and fiancé Jack Brooksbank will offer the public a royal wedding no one has experienced before.
Buckingham Palace announced Eugenie’s engagement to the savvy businessman in January.
READ NEXT: 5 things you didn't know about Princess Eugenie's fiancé
Shortly thereafter, they announced that members of the public would be allowed to attend the ceremony by way of an application process.
Another first is that this royal wedding will be entirely plastic free – in keeping with Eugenie’s eco-friendly life choices.
And while it is typical for Queen Elizabeth to give any person who marries into the family a royal title, it is highly likely that Jack will not receive one. Eugenie does however, have the choice of taking her husband-to-be’s last name.
READ MORE: Princess Eugenie’s future husband may not receive a royal title after the wedding
Just as Harry and Meghan's special day, Eugenie wed Jack in a fairy tale ceremony in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on 12 October.
From special celeb guest appearances to a stellar performance by Andrea Bocelli and a perfect first kiss, the newlyweds began their new adventure on a cloud of joy.
READ MORE: Absolutely everything that happened at Princess Eugenie and Jack's royal wedding
