RF. Princess Eugenie Spotted with Her Husband in First Sighting Since Her Father’s Arrest

She was halfway up a snow-dusted mountain, surrounded by postcard-perfect peaks and the laughter of her young sons, when her world shifted in an instant.

Now, days after her father’s stunning arrest, Princess Eugenie has been seen in public for the first time. And the image is as carefully composed as it is quietly defiant.

The 12th in line to the throne was photographed in Notting Hill with her husband Jack Brooksbank on Thursday, marking her first sighting since the former Prince Andrew was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Dressed down in blue leggings, a jacket, and a North Face baseball cap, she appeared to be attempting anonymity. Instead, she became the focus of a fresh wave of headlines.

Jack walked slightly ahead, a colourful bobble hat pulled low as he spoke on the phone, while Eugenie emerged from Hagen Espresso Bar clutching a takeaway coffee. Her expression revealed little. But in the wake of what many have called a royal crisis of historic proportions, her mere presence spoke volumes.

For a princess who has endured weeks of intense family scrutiny, it was a deliberately low-key outing. Yet it instantly ignited reactions online.

Fan reaction to Eugenie’s Notting Hill sighting was swift and largely sympathetic. “God love them both,” one commenter wrote. “It’s horrific for them.”

Another said, “I feel sorry for the girls, they shouldn’t be judged for the actions of their parents. I really hope William takes care of their reputation in the family.” A third put it simply, “His kids shouldn’t have to pay the price for his sins, no matter how old they are.”

But not everyone was moved to compassion. “She doesn’t look too upset,” one observer noted beneath a photo of Eugenie smiling faintly as she got into a waiting car.

That fleeting smile, captured in a single frame, became its own talking point. Was it bravery? Denial? Or simply a daughter trying to steady herself under the glare of public judgment?

The images surfaced just days after Eugenie had been thousands of miles away in Switzerland, enjoying a half-term skiing holiday in the ultra-exclusive resort of Gstaad alongside Jack, their sons August, five, and Ernest, who turns three in May, a close-knit group of friends, and the children’s nanny.

The group had stopped for a low-key lunch at a traditional Alpine eaterie tucked along the slopes, famous for its potato rosti, Viennese sausages, and sweeping mountain views. Inside, away from prying lenses, they gathered in a quiet corner, bundled in ski gear.

“Eugenie and Jack were with the children, the nanny and a group of friends,” a fellow diner told Hello! Magazine:

“I was surprised to see her because I thought she would be keeping a low-profile in light of everything that has been going on,” they added.

Switzerland carries deep personal meaning for the couple. It was during a ski trip to Verbier, where Andrew and Sarah once owned a chalet, that Eugenie and Jack first met, sparking the romance that would lead to their 2018 royal wedding.

As she sat in that Alpine dining room, unaware of the storm about to break, Eugenie could not have known her father would soon be arrested. Those close to her say she has been “in a state” since the news broke, while sources close to both sisters insist Princess Beatrice has been equally shaken.

Andrew’s arrest last Thursday sent shockwaves through the monarchy. Officers arrived at Wood Farm, his temporary residence on the Sandringham Estate, before taking him in for questioning. On his 66th birthday, he spent 11 hours in custody while police searched his home. He was later released under investigation.

Andrew is accused of sharing sensitive information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment, allegations he has denied.

Multiple police forces have confirmed they are reviewing material from the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice in January. It was reported to be the first time a royal had been arrested in almost 400 years, a staggering historical footnote that only intensified the gravity of the moment.

The very next day, former US ambassador Peter Mandelson was also detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office before being released on bail, further widening the scandal’s reach.

For Eugenie and Beatrice, their father’s arrest follows weeks of renewed and deeply uncomfortable scrutiny. Their parents, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, are referenced extensively in the three million pages of Epstein documents released by the US Department of Justice last month.

Among the revelations are emails from Sarah arranging to take her daughters to visit Epstein just days after his release from prison in 2009, messages referencing Eugenie’s personal life, and indications of a relationship more prolonged than previously acknowledged publicly.

While Eugenie has now reappeared, her mother remains conspicuously absent. Sarah has not been seen publicly since last year. The Daily Mail reported that she checked herself into the Paracelsus Recovery Clinic in Zurich, reportedly costing £13,000 a day, before later spending time in the French Alps and the United Arab Emirates.

According to insiders quoted by the Mail on Sunday, she has been “sofa-surfing on a global scale,” moving locations every few days and keeping her whereabouts tightly guarded until she has already left.

Those reports claim she travelled to Doha to be with Eugenie during an art fair in Qatar, then flew to Florida with son-in-law Edo Mapelli-Mozzi before heading to the French Alps. Insiders believe she joined Eugenie’s Gstaad ski trip last week.

“She notifies friends of her last location only once she has safely moved on to the next,” a source told the Mail on Sunday:

Meanwhile, Andrew has been staying at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate as renovations continue at nearby Marsh Farm, his permanent residence. He is accompanied by his dogs, including two of the late Queen’s beloved corgis, as well as police and security officers.

Royal staff reportedly sought advice on how to address him following the stripping of his titles. They were told that “Sir” would suffice. In time, he will be assigned a chef and a valet at Marsh Farm, a stark reduction from the larger household team that once served him at Royal Lodge.

Through it all, Eugenie has continued her professional obligations. Earlier this month, she travelled to Qatar in her role as a director at art dealer Hauser & Wirth, attending a contemporary art fair in Doha, her first public engagement since the Epstein files were released.

Now back in London, takeaway coffee in hand, she steps into view once more.

The smile may have flickered. The scrutiny has not. But Princess Eugenie is still walking.