Princess Eugenie reveals her son August’s favourite pastime (and it was her biggest fear growing up)

Princess Eugenie has given insight into her life in Portugal – and her children’s favourite pastime there.

The 34-year-old royal, who spends her time living between the UK and Portugal, revealed that her sons – August, three, and Ernest, one, ‘love swimming’, despite her being ‘scared’ of the ocean growing up.

She added: ‘The sea in Portugal’s a little bit rougher. So, we’ve got out feet in, but Augie is a fish. He literally loves it, and we have whales and dolphins across the walls.’

Eugenie, who is married to Jack Brooksbank, 38, added in conversation with Hello!: ‘We’ve got a book called The World’s Wildest Waters, which is backed by Blue Marine Foundation – I see it every morning when Augie’s eating breakfast, and he’s like, ”Mama!” and then we go through it.

‘The children have to find the creatures in the pictures and the next page is all the facts about the cuttlefish, or the Great White shark or the seal. And Augie loves it.’

Princess Eugenie has revealed her children – Auggie (pictured right), three, and Ernest (pictured left), one, ‘love swimming’

Eugenie spoke to the magazine during a visit to Christie’s to see Blue: Art, with pieces set to be auctioned off to raise funds for Blue Marine Foundation.

Unlike her children, the eco-conscious royal previously revealed how she was once terrified of the ocean, despite now championing efforts to reverse environmental damage to it.

In June, the Princess took to Instagram to share an adorable childhood photograph of herself at the seaside ahead of World Ocean Day.

The then-young royal grinned towards the camera in the image donning a blue swimsuit and matching bucket hat with a generous layer of sun cream on her face.

Since becoming a mother to her children August and Ernest, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York has taken up environmentalism in the hope of helping future generations.

Taking to Instagram, she explained: ‘I love the ocean now but I was actually scared of it as a child.

She has a track record of being environmentally aware and has been an ambassador for the Blue Marine Foundation since June 2021.

The royal is an avid campaigner of environmental issues and even had a plastic-free wedding to her husband Jack Brooksbank in 2018.

Eugenie, who was once scared of swimming in the ocean, revealed her oldest son Auggie is like a ‘fish’

In a bid to help the environment, Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank (pictured together in 2023) had a plastic-free wedding in 2018

In a second image showing stunning scenery of a whale in its natural habitat, Eugenie also encouraged her Instagram followers to discover the Blue Marine Foundation – a charity organization working to protect the ocean.

At the time, Eugenie described how being a mother made her want ‘to do more’ for her children and future grandchildren, adding she hopes her son August, three, will one day take up environmentalism too. 

During the trip she wasn’t afraid to get stuck in and helped scientists clean hundreds of oysters before they returned them to the sea. 

Princess Eugenie also avoids using any single-use plastics at home and has already started educating August about climate change.

She previously said: ‘My son’s going to be an activist from two years old, which is in a couple of days. Everything is for them, right? Every decision we now make has to be about how August is going to be able to live his life.’

Princess Eugenie (pictured with her son August in 2022) previously told how becoming a mother made her want to do more for the environment

It comes after Princess Eugenie congratulated her sister Princess Beatrice after news of her pregnancy was announced. 

The late Queen’s granddaughter, 36, and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 40, who already share daughter Sienna, three, are preparing to welcome a new addition to their family in 2025. 

Using her affectionate nickname for her older sister, Eugenie wrote on her Instagram account: ‘Congratulations Beabea…

‘So looking forward to more on this journey of motherhood together. And adding another little one to the gang.’

Posting a sweet selection of family pictures, she added: ‘I couldn’t find a single group shot of us. So this one from Christmas 2022 will have to do. Xxxx.’