Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is said to be “delighted” as Buckingham Palace announced on Friday that her granddaughter Princess Eugenie is expecting her first baby early next year. Eugenie, the daughter of the Queen’s younger son Prince Andrew – the Duke of York, married her wine merchant husband Jack Brooksback in October 2018 and their baby will be the 11th in line to the British throne.

“Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting a baby in early 2021,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, Mr and Mrs George Brooksbank, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted with the news,” it said, referring to the senior members of both sides of the family.

Posting a photo of herself and her husband on Instagram alongside another of some baby shoes, Princess Eugenie said she and Jack were “so excited”. The blue in the baby shoes led to some social media speculation that the royal may know that she is having a baby boy.

The couple’s baby will be the Queen’s ninth great-grandchild, the eighth being Archie Mountbatten Windsor – born to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May last year. As Princess Eurgenie’s child will be born down a female line of the royal family, he or she will be just Master or Miss Brooksbank, with no royal title. This could change if the Queen decides to give Brooksbank an Earldom or issue Letters Patent to amend the rules.

Eugenie, the 10th in line to the throne, and Brooksbank – who is European brand manager for Casamigos Tequila, co-founded by Hollywood star George Clooney – met when skiing in Switzerland in 2010. They were married two years ago at a gala wedding ceremony at Windsor Castle, attended by celebrities among 850 guests and an additional 1,200 members of the public invited to follow proceedings from the grounds.