Why Princess Eugenie's daughter won't receive Portuguese citizenship after breaking royal tradition

Princess Eugenie broke royal tradition this week when she gave birth to her third child - a baby girl, whose name is yet to be revealed.

The 36-year-old welcomed the little one with her husband Jack Brooksbank, 40, and so far they’ve only referred to the newborn as ‘Baby Girl Brooksbank’.

However, it’s the location of the birth that’s raised eyebrows, as Buckingham Palace confirmed that the couple welcomed their new addition in Lisbon, Portugal, rather than the UK.

The unexpected choice has left Royal Family fans questioning whether this means the baby will get Portuguese citizenship, as well as British.

But, despite being born in the country, this won’t be the case as Portugal doesn’t grant birthright citizenship to children of foreign nationals, and of course, her parents are both British.

To qualify for citizenship, the baby must have at least one parent who has met the legal residency duration requirement, which is five years at the time of the baby’s birth.

Because Eugenie and Jack have only lived in the country since 2022, it looks like the five years hasn't quite been met.

Eugenie and Jack are currently splitting their time between the UK and Portugal (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Interestingly though, if the Princess had given birth a few months before, things may have looked entirely different.

The new five-year requirement only came into place on May 19, 2026, and before this, foreign parents just needed one year of legal residency, as reported by HELLO! Magazine.

The publication reports that if the couple did want to explore Portuguese citizenship for their kids in the future, they could apply to do so once they’ve completed primary school education, as long as they meet certain legal requirements.

The palace’s statement announcing the birth read: “Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, born on Monday, 3rd August 2026, at 6.20pm, at a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal.

“The baby was born weighing 6 pounds 9 ounces. Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the royal family were delighted to be informed of the news.”

The royal couple's other two sons, August and Ernest, were both born in London (Instagram/princesseugenie)

A royal giving birth overseas, away from the UK, is a rare occasion, and has only happened on a handful of occasions throughout history.

Eugenie welcomed her other two sons, August Philip Hawke, five, and Ernest George Ronnie, three, at the Portland Hospital in London.

The reason for the change is thought to be that Eugenie and Jack have a home and other connections in Portugal.

The royal duo has been dividing their time between Portugal and the UK since 2022, after Jack started a new job which required him to work there.

In 2023, Eugenie explained on the Table Manners podcast that living overseas is 'the dream' for the family.

She said: “This is why Portugal is the dream because I can go to the supermarket in my exercise gear and my hair piled on my head and not mind. Not care. No one cares.”