Princess Eugenie is not required to pay for security and maintenance at her UK base for one major reason. The 36-year-old, who celebrated her birthday on Monday, is known to split her time between Ivy Cottage, which is located in London, and Portugal due to her husband, Jack Brooksbank’s work commitments.

The couple, who wed in October 2018, are proud parents of two sons, five-year-old August and two-year-old Ernest. The family-of-four have used Ivy Cottage since the year of their wedding, with the three-bedroom property still remaining in the hands of the Crown Estate. As the home is situated within Kensington Palace walls, all of the management, including repairs and adequate security, lies with the Crown Estate itself.

Whilst Ivy Cottage is now used a royal property, it was built with a completely different use in mind.

Built in the 19th century, it was originally built to act as a modest lodging for palace staff.

As well as their home in the UK, the couple reside at one of the most lavish, luxurious complexes along the Alentejan coastal strip.

Eugenie is currently dealing with the fallout of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson’s connection to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Whilst Eugenie and her sister Princess Beatrice deal with the current scandal involving their parents, royal expert and author of The Windsor Legacy, Robert Jobson recently shared a few rules that they should now follow.

He said: “My understanding is that the princesses have been firmly advised to keep their heads down, avoid any moves that might generate headlines, and certainly not to do anything that looks like a play for relevance or rehabilitation for their parents.

“The York situation is fascinating and genuinely complex right now. Their brand is deeply toxic – Andrew’s association with Epstein continues to cast a long shadow.”