How Princess Eugenie’s 2018 Wedding Foreshadowed Her Newborn Daughter’s Royal Name
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When Princess Eugenie introduced her two-week-old daughter to the world as Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank, the choice carried deep familial and historic significance—including a subtle preview dating back to her 2018 royal wedding.
Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, welcomed their third child and first daughter on August 3. Announcing the name two weeks later, the Princess shared that it honours “three people we love and admire past and present, including her Great-Grandmother who we hold close in our hearts.”
The Meaning Behind the Names
Each element of the newborn’s name carries distinct heritage:
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Elizabeth: A tribute to Eugenie’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in 2022 following a historic 70-year reign.
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Annina: Included to honor a private personal connection, according to royal reporter Rebecca English.
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Adelaide: A name of German origin meaning “noble” (per Nameberry), deeply rooted in both British royal history and Portuguese culture.
German-born Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen married King George III’s son, Prince William, later becoming Queen Adelaide when her husband acceded to the throne as King William IV in 1830. (The Australian city of Adelaide was also named in her honour during his reign.)
Beyond the British monarchy, the moniker honours the couple’s ties to Portugal, where the family splits their time. The choice was reportedly influenced in part by Maria Adelaide, an uncanonized Portuguese figure revered as an honorary saint. As Eugenie noted, the name reflects both “English and Portuguese history, two places we love and call home.”
A Subtle 2018 Wedding Connection
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Eugenie subtly incorporated Queen Adelaide’s legacy into her October 2018 nuptials at Windsor Castle. For the evening reception—where she wore a blush Zac Posen gown inspired by the Windsor landscape—Eugenie styled her hair with two diamond ear brooches originally commissioned by King William IV for Queen Adelaide.
The wedding venue itself provided another historical bridge: Eugenie and Jack wed at St. George’s Chapel, where Queen Adelaide is buried.
A Continuing Tradition of Family Tributes
The Brooksbank children all share names steeped in ancestral history:
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August (born 2021): Named after his great-grandfather Prince Philip and two 5x-great-grandfathers.
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Ernest George Ronnie (born 2023): Named in honour of his great-great-great-grandfather George, his grandfather George, and Eugenie’s maternal grandfather, Ronald.
Adelaide also joins a broad line of royal descendants carrying Queen Elizabeth’s name. The late monarch’s moniker appears as a middle name for granddaughters Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, and Lady Louise, as well as great-granddaughters Princess Charlotte, Lena Tindall, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, and Athena Mapelli Mozzi. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also paid homage by naming their daughter Lilibet after the late Queen’s childhood nickname.