Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are celebrating their son Ernest's third birthday, which marks his last before he becomes a big brother.
With the couple expecting their third child this summer, this raises the question of where they'll choose to raise their young family. Currently, they split their time between Portugal, where they have a family home in Comporta while Jack works with property tycoon Mike Meldman on a 300-home development in the area, and the UK, where they stay at Ivy Cottage.
Located on the Kensington Palace grounds, Ivy Cottage was originally built to house staff, but it underwent a renovation prior to Eugenie and Jack's move in 2018.
Outside, the grace-and-favour property has a beautiful chocolate box exterior with a white picket fence, but inside, it only offers the couple three bedrooms. With another baby on the way, they could be looking for a larger property to allow their sons, August and Ernest, and their new baby to have a bedroom of their own in the future.
Inside Ivy Cottage
© InstagramRare glimpses inside have revealed the property's modest interiors. In 2019, it was used as the backdrop for a video with Ed Sheeran, which saw Prince Harry open the door and welcome him in.
A black-and-white official portrait from the couple's wedding hung on the wall in the hallway, showing Eugenie and Jack sitting in the carriage after their wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel.
A fireplace was positioned on another wall, while the doorway led into the living room, decorated with a corner sofa and orange scatter cushions. The colour scheme was largely neutral, but it is thought that Eugenie would draw on her passion for art to decorate the walls.
© InstagramAs a director at the contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth, Eugenie would have developed an incredible eye for art, from contemporary pieces to statement prints.
Princess Eugenie previously lived at St James' Palace with her sister Princess Beatrice, but moved into her Kensington Palace home after announcing her engagement in 2018.
© Getty ImagesThe royal previously opened up about putting her own stamp on her home, telling Harpers Bazaar about St James's Palace: "My bedroom is full of photos my parents have taken.
"Mumsy took one of an elephant spraying water on its back, which is incredible, and there’s one Papa took of Balmoral Castle. I’ve got a lot of art that needs to be put on the walls. And there are shoes everywhere."
Love of Portugal
© InstagramWhile there were rumours that Eugenie and Jack wanted to make the UK their main base when their children go to school, this has not been confirmed.
Judging by how fondly she speaks of their home abroad, it seems as though they'd want to keep some sort of property there in the future.
"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," she told Jessie and Lennie Ware on their Table Manners podcast.
In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, she opened up about how much her sons also love the area.
"They love swimming," she said of August and Ernest. "The sea in Portugal's a little bit rougher, so we've got our feet in, but Augie is a fish. He literally loves it and we have whales and dolphins all across the walls."
