Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank married in a star-studded royal wedding in 2018, but many at the time were left baffled as to why there was a seat left empty at the front of the chapel
When Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank, the entire Royal family turned out to celebrate their wedding. The couple exchanged vows at St George’s Chapel in Windsor nearly seven years ago, with a guest list that included Queen Elizabeth and other high-ranking royals, as well as celebrity friends like pop star Robbie Williams and supermodel Cara Delevingne.
Over 850 guests witnessed Eugenie and Jack say ‘I do’, but one peculiar detail caught the attention of many royal enthusiasts. Despite the chapel being packed with attendees, one prime seat directly in front of Queen Elizabeth remained vacant, even though it was arguably the best spot in the house.
Speculation was rife about why the seat was unoccupied, with some suggesting it was due to a last-minute cancellation, while others believed it was left empty, as a tribute to a late relative.
However, it was actually due to tradition that the seat in front of the Queen was kept empty so her view of the altar was not obstructed. This specific seat is also said to be one the late Queen “didn’t find comfortable”, explaining why she opted to sit in the second row of pews.
Historically, the Queen and the Royal Family have occupied the right-hand choir pews at St George’s Chapel, with the Queen positioned on the far-right and the rest of the senior royals seated to her left, reports the Mirror.
For Eugenie’s wedding, the then-Prince Charles, Prince William, Kate, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seated in the second row.
The bride’s parents, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, were in the front row with Princess Beatrice and Zara and Mike Tindall, albeit further along the pew.
This arrangement allowed the late Queen, who was only five foot three inches tall, a clear view of the ceremony. The same seat was left vacant months earlier at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in the same chapel.
The late monarch also notably sat in the same spot at the 2021 funeral of her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, sitting alone due to Covid social distancing measures. According to Buckingham Palace insiders, the tradition of keeping the seat empty has continued since Charles ascended to the throne.
At Queen Elizabeth’s committal service in 2022, shortly after her death, the chair in front of Charles was kept vacant. There have been instances when the Royal Family has paid tribute to the deceased by leaving a chair unoccupied.
Since their glamorous 2018 wedding, Eugenie and Jack have welcomed two children. Their eldest son, August, was born in February 2021, and he became an older brother in May 2023 when Ernest was born.
At the time Ernest was born, Eugenie revealed the meaning behind his full name: Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank. She said: “He is named after his great-great-great-grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
