6 Things to Know About Princess Eugenie's Fiancé Jack Brooksbank

Princess Eugenie will walk down the aisle to wed her longtime love Jack Brooksbank in the fall

Photo: Dave Benett/Getty

Princess Eugenie will walk down the aisle to wed her longtime love Jack Brooksbank in the fall.

The royal, 27, has been dating Jack Brooksbank, 31, for about seven years.

“He is a really lovely chap,” a family friend previously told PEOPLE. “They adore each other and are really serious.”

Here’s what you need to know about the man who stole Eugenie’s heart:

1. He’s a Master of the Slopes

The two met when Eugenie was still at Newcastle University in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier after being introduced by friends and have been back there for vacations. Fergie and her ex-husband Prince Andrew even bought a luxury chalet for them and others to enjoy.

2. They Made Their Long-Distance Romance Work

When Eugenie left London in 2013 for New York, where she worked for online auction house Paddle8 for a few of years, the couple endured long separations. “He’s not a jet-setty type,” says the friend, but they kept up with each other via Skype. Crucially, “They have lots of lovely friends” supporting them too, adds the pal.

3. He’s Not an Aristocrat but He Has a Pricey Pedigree

Brooksbank’s parents George, an accountant and company director, and Nicola sent him to the $13,000-a-semester Stowe private school in Buckinghamshire, England.

4. He Runs a Bar

Despite some expectation that he might work in the financial district of London, Brooksbank headed off in a different direction: the hospitality trade. After getting his feet wet working in pubs, he caught the eye of London restaurateur Piers Adam, who asked him to join the team at the trendy Markham Inn. He is also the manager of Mahiki nightclub, which used to be popular with the young royals – including Eugenie’s cousins Prince William and Prince Harry. It’s a career that fits well with fun-loving Eugenie, who now works as an associate director at the London art gallery Hauser & Wirth. “She’s a great practical joker,” says the family friend.

5. He Is a Pro at Royal Family Gatherings

He attended Royal Ascot in June, a royal family tradition. And at the annual Chelsea Flower Show, Brooksbank and Eugenie “were part of the Duke of York’s party – and Jack was very much by Eugenie’s side throughout,” says longtime royals photographer Mark Stewart. It was the first time he (and Dave Clark, the then-boyfriend of Eugenie’s older sister Beatrice) had attended.

“It was quite a big thing to go to. They looked very happy,” says Stewart, adding that he is comfortable in the company of Eugenie’s parents Fergie and Andrew: “They appear to be very fond of him.”

6. He Shares a Name with Eugenie’s Dog!

And yes, it is a “complete coincidence,” she tells the current issue of Harper’s Bazaar.