Two weeks after welcoming her daughter, Princess Eugenie has finally confirmed her beautiful name: Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank.
Announcing the news, Eugenie shared three brand new photos of her baby – swaddled in a pale blue blanket, a close-up of her tiny hand, and a sweet first cuddle with her big brothers, August and Ernest.
“2 weeks ago today we welcomed our girl to the world,” Eugenie wrote in her caption, adding that it’s been “the most special, cosy and love-filled time.” She also gave a shoutout to her sons, saying Augie and Ernie are “already the best big brothers.”
But it’s the name itself that’s sparking all the interest – because every part of it has a deeper meaning.
The secret meaning behind Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank’s name
Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank drew on both English and Portuguese history for their daughter’s name, a nod to the couple’s second home in Europe.
Adelaide is thought to honour two women: Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV, and Maria Adelaide, a name shared by a Portuguese royal and a Portuguese saint.
The name itself has German origins and translates to “noble,” according to Nameberry – and Queen Adelaide’s own story backs that up.
Born Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, she married into the British royal family and became queen when her husband took the throne as William IV in 1830. Adelaide, the South Australian capital, was later named in her honour.
There’s also a lesser-known link back to Eugenie’s own wedding: the two diamond ear brooches she wore in her hair at her 2018 evening reception were originally commissioned by William IV for Queen Adelaide – a detail that now reads like a very early clue.
“The choice of Adelaide was something Eugenie had to fight for,” a royal source tells Woman’s Day. “She was wearing Queen Adelaide’s diamond earrings as hair ornaments when she got married but even before that Queen Adelaide was one of her favourite ancestors because she was renowned for her charitable work.”
The middle names carry their own weight. Elizabeth is a clear tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Eugenie’s beloved grandmother, who reigned for 70 years before her death in 2022.
“She was always going to use Elizabeth – both [of her sister] Beatrice’s girls have Elizabeth as their middle names,” the source shares.
Annina is the more mysterious of the two. Royal reporter Rebecca English has said it stems from a “personal connection,” though Eugenie hasn’t spelled out exactly who or what that is.
Per The Bump, Annina translates to “God has favoured me” or “grace”.
There is one theory doing the rounds: Eugenie is close with Bavarian-born designer Annina Pfuel, a creative director known for her work across opera, film, music videos and fashion. Eugenie attended Annina’s 2024 wedding in Bavaria, and the pair still follow each other on Instagram – though nothing has been confirmed.
The royal insider reveals: “Choosing Annina has everyone wondering if her dear friend the [Bavarian designer] Countess Annina Bruges von Pfuel is going to be a godmother. Eugenie went to her wedding in 2024 and the two have been close for years.”
Baby name expert and Nameberry editor-in-chief Sophie Kihm offered another possible read when she spoke to Hello!. She explained Annina is a rare Italian nickname derived from Anne or Anna, which could make it “little Anne” – or simply “grace” (the meaning of Anne/Anna).
The name Anne also runs deep in royal history: Eugenie has an aunt by the name, and six English queens have been named Anne.
Announcing the meaning herself, Eugenie wrote that her daughter was named after “three people we love and admire past and present” – including her great-grandmother, and that the name reflects “English and Portuguese history, two places we love and call home.”
The source tells us: “Eugenie and Jack decided to take their time in choosing her name – and letting the boys have their say too. They needed two weeks to ‘get to know’ the new addition to the family before giving her her name. In the end they went with Eugenie’s number one choice, but this gave them private bonding time too.
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