Princess Eugenie was joined by her mother Sarah Ferguson and older sister Princess Beatrice as she hosted the inaugural gala for her charity this evening.
The royal, 33, was also joined by her friend Julia de Boinville, with whom she founded the Anti-Slavery Collective in 2017.
Through the charity, the pair have worked across several sectors to help bring an end to modern slavery and also launched their podcast Floodlight, where they interview guests on how best to end the practice around the world.
This evening, Eugenie, Fergie, 62, and Beatrice, 35, brought a touch of glamour and royalty to the Battersea Arts Centre in South London where the The Anti Slavery Collective’s Winter Gala was held – and a few famous faces joined them too.
Singer Ed Sheeran was among the guests at the glitzy event, as well as Idris Elba and James Blunt – and even Prince Harry‘s ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas made an appearance.
Eugenie’s cousin, Zara Tindall, and fomer UK prime minister Theresa May (who was a guest on series two of Floodlight) were also among the guests.
The York trio each oozed elegance in black frocks as they smiled alongside each other, with Beatrice sporting a Self Portrait dress with jacket detailing, while Eugenie chose a satin-effect gown with a slit in the skirt and gathering at the waist, plus gold button detailing.
Speaking ahead of the event at Battersea Arts Centre Eugenie, 33, praised Ed Sheeran for his involvement, saying: ‘It’s the most insane thing. Ed is game changer and an entertainer of a generation, so I’m absolutely lost of words that he’s coming.
‘He’s also one of the nicest people so I’m truly honoured and very grateful to have him there and help us on The Anti-Slavery Collective’s mission.’
Eugenie, the second child of the Duke and Duchess of York, said she had been motivated to set up the charity, which aims to end modern slavery by the humanitarian work of her mother, Sarah Ferguson
‘My mum does a lot of charity work and always raised my sister and I to give back,’ Princess Eugenie said.
The Royal, who now lives in Portugal with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their two sons, said that a trip to Calcutta with her mother and Julia in 2012 had sown the seeds for the Anti-Slavery Collective.
‘We went to Calcutta to visit Aloka Mitra, who founded The Women’s Interlink Foundation,’ she recalled.
‘Aloka is an amazing woman who rescued girls from the streets, housed them and taught them how to print on fabrics.
‘During that trip to India, Jules and I were so shocked by what we’d discovered about modern slavery, when we returned to the UK we learned as much about it as we could, met with anyone who would listen to us, visited safe houses and talked to survivors.’
The charity’s mission is to raise awareness of the 50million people around the globe who are currently trapped in modern slavery.
‘I was 21 when I first learned about modern slavery. I don’t want people to get to the same age without being educated about the realities,’ the Royal said.
The Princess also paid tribute to a slavery survivor from Manchester who played a vital role in setting up the charity in 2017.
‘One survivor who has been an inspiration to our charity was born and raised in Manchester and trafficked by her next door neighbour into a local gang.
‘She was integral in setting up The Collective and we’re always asking her what she thinks… This is an example of modern slavery being everywhere, even here in the UK.’
She urged every Briton to play their part in the war against modern slavery.
‘A victim can walk amongst you but be suffering unfair wages or working forcibly to within an inch of their life in perhaps the construction industry, a nail bar or at a car wash.
‘Everyone has to open their eyes to what might be happening around them.’
Sheeran had a notorious encounter with Princess Eugenie’s sister, Princess Beatrice, who accidentally sliced his cheek with a ceremonial sword while she was jokingly ‘knighting’ James Blunt at a dinner party in 2016.
The musician always refused to name the Royal but his manager, Stuart Camp, eventually confirmed it was the Princess who had wielded the sword and called her an ‘idiot’.
But it looks like Sheeran has put all that behind him as he prepares to lend his star power to Princess Eugenie’s charity in London tonight.
