Princess Eugenie breaks silence with anti-slavery project as Sarah Ferguson email scandal swirls

Princess Eugenie published her first public statement on Friday since emails from her mother, Sarah Ferguson, to Jeffrey Epstein were made public, signaling a measured shift back toward the princess’s own charitable work. The 35-year-old, who is ninth in line to the throne, used her social media channels to highlight a New York project she has supported through the Anti-Slavery Collective, the charity she co-founded.

The saga surrounding Sarah Ferguson has dominated headlines in recent weeks after it emerged that in 2011 she wrote to Epstein to apologize for disavowing him publicly after his conviction for sex offenses. In the emails, Ferguson described Epstein as a “supreme” friend, a characterization that has intensified scrutiny of her public actions and associations. The revelations added fuel to an ongoing narrative about the Yorks’ complicity or vulnerability in a case that has beset the royal family for years.

Following the disclosure of the email, Ferguson’s involvement with several charities was called into question, and seven organizations publicly distanced themselves from her. A spokesman for the Duchess of York said Epstein had threatened to destroy the York family in a chilling phone call after Ferguson gave an interview in which she disowned him. The spokesman framed the moment as one in which Ferguson was under immense pressure to protect her family from harm, noting the fear and coercion she faced long before the Duke of York’s own reputation was entangled in Epstein’s affairs. Ferguson has repeatedly asserted that she did not intend harm and has stressed that her family’s safety was always her priority.

Amid the swirl of headlines, Eugenie’s post provided a counterpoint that underscored her personal commitment to social issues. In the Instagram update, she referenced a recent event in New York held in collaboration with the Anti-Slavery Collective, a cause she has championed for years. The caption described a project examining the link between fake fashion and forced labor, announcing that the event coincided with UN General Assembly week and New York Climate Week to shed light on a “long-underreported human rights scandal.” The post included photos from the gathering and a sentiment that the work was just beginning. “The Anti-Slavery Collective have been working on a project showing the connection between fake fashion & forced labour,” Eugenie wrote. “I was very proud to host an event to coincide with UNGA and NYC Climate Week to launch this exciting new project, and shine a light on this underreported human rights scandal. This is only the beginning and I can’t wait to see this project unfold.”

The event featured the release of a new short film and a roundtable that brought together fashion insiders, resale platforms, designers, brands, behavioral scientists, fashion press, and illicit-trade experts. The aim, according to organizers, was to provoke conversation and spur action within an industry long criticized for opaque supply chains and labor abuses. The post signals Eugenie’s continued public alignment with the Anti-Slavery Collective’s mission, even as questions linger about how the broader royal family’s public work may be influenced by the Epstein matter.

Royal-watchers have long considered Eugenie and her sister Beatrice, who are respectively ninth and 12th in line to the throne, among the most active members of the extended royal family in charity work. Yet several experts caution that the Epstein scandal could cast a shadow over their public roles as they navigate a monarchy that has trimmed its formal duties in recent years. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams suggested that the sisters’ current projects are unlikely to be immediately derailed by their parents’ fall from public favor, but he warned that their longer-term public engagement is less certain if the York brand remains toxic.

“The current projects of Beatrice and Eugenie are well established and have their own momentum,” Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail. “I doubt any of their immediate activities will be affected by the toxicity surrounding the York brand, assuming no new embarrassing information surfaces about them personally. But the very nature of a brand in trouble can reverberate through the public life of those closely associated with it.” He noted that the sisters’ closeness to their parents might temporarily shield them from stepping into new charitable roles, at least for a period that could be lengthy. He added that the sisters’ reputations—built on independent careers and charitable work—could help them weather the fallout, though the overall family dynamic will undoubtedly be tested.

Phil Dampier, another royal commentator, echoed that sentiment but offered a more cautious read on the possibility of Eugenie and Beatrice expanding their roles in Charles III’s slimmed-down monarchy. “They would likely contribute more if the King asked them, but that seems unlikely at the moment,” Dampier said. Still, he emphasized that the sisters’ own achievements—established independently of their parents—could help them sustain public support even as the Yorks face controversy. “Bea and Eugenie will be devastated by what has happened to their parents, but they are old enough to understand the complexities of public life and to continue their own good work.”

As the inquiry into the emails and the broader implications for the York family persists, observers note a tension between the sisters’ ongoing charitable commitments and the consequences of their parents’ actions. The public may adjust to the reality that Eugenie and Beatrice have carved out careers and causes separate from their parents, but the emotional and reputational strain within the family is likely to endure for some time. Whether the sisters will broaden their public roles in the coming years remains uncertain, with analysts warning that any future move could be influenced by the long arc of the Epstein controversy and how the royal household chooses to address it.

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