At first glance, it seemed Jack Brooksbank had some explaining to do after he was spotted partying in Capri just a few months after his wife, Princess Eugenie, gave birth to their first son. But Sarah Ferguson put all speculation to rest in a recent interview.
In photos obtained by The Daily Mail, Brooksbank was seen with three female friends boating and swimming in the Mediterranean. The 35-year-old royal spent Friday, July 30, drinking rosé and taking in the sights on the Italian coast ahead of the Unicef Summer Gala, which he attended as a brand ambassador for Casamigos tequila, a sponsor of the pricey ball, per the Mail.
The outlet reports that Brooksbank was joined on the boozy boat ride by model Erica Pelosini, model Maria Buccellati and former Glamour magazine editor Rachel Zalis, who now works as Casamigos's global director. Pelosini reportedly went topless at times.
Wife Eugenie, meanwhile, stayed in Windsor with their five-month-old baby, August, according to The Daily Mail.
However, it wasn't what it looked like, according to Eugenie's mom, Sarah.
Princess Eugenie and Baby August's Sweetest Photos
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Brooksbank's mother-in-law rushed to his defense and backed him all the way. She spoke on BBC One's "The One Show" on Aug. 2, saying he was "just doing his job" as a brand ambassador.
"Jack, who was on the front page, is a man of such integrity," Sarah said, per a video published by the Mail. "He's just one of my most favorite people. I call him James Bond actually."
The Duchess of York, 61, went on, "He's just a superhero in my book, and he's a great father, a fabulous husband, and he's never at front of house, he always likes to be at the back."
She slammed fans that might be reading too much into his Capri photos. "So for them to make this story is completely fabricated, he works as an ambassador for Casamigos, and he was on doing his job, and so I think it's really important that we clarify that for Jack's sake," Sarah added.
Heidi Klum, Emily Ratajkowski, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Eiza Gonzlez and Sydney Sweeney were among the glitzy guests at the LuisaViaRoma gala in Capri on July 31.
E! News has reached out to the palace for comment, as well as to reps for Casamigos, Pelosini, Buccellati and Zalisl.
Eugenie welcomed August in February, making him the first grandchild for Sarah and Prince Andrew. "Our hearts are full of love for this little human," she shared. "words can't express." On Father's Day in June, Eugenie said Jack was "the ultimate father to our boy!!"
Last month, Eugenie and Jack were planning to host a baptism for their new son with 30 people in attendance. However, they cancelled the event at the last minute after one expected guest needed to self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic, People reported.
The pair married in October 2018 after reportedly meeting at the Swiss ski resort known as Verbier.