Princess Eugenie is a co-founder of a human trafficking charity, a cause that she has long been dedicated to, but her work could be “under threat” amid the scandal surrounding her parents Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, an expert claims
Princess Eugenie parents were formally struck from the official roll of peerage last week by her uncle, King Charles, after the monarch released a blistering statement about his disgraced younger brother.
Now known only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and driven out of the lavish home he shared with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson things have rapidly changed for the entire family. King Charles announced that “these censures have been deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that [Andrew] continues to deny the allegations against him” and reaffirmed his and Queen Camilla’s support to “survivors of any and all forms of abuse”.
Recent emails that emerged have seen new light cast on both Andrew and Sarah’s friendships with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and the posthumous release of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl, brought the allegations of sexual assault that she made against Andrew – which he denies – back into the spotlight.
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Virginia, a victim of Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, died by suicide at age 41 earlier this year, and the memoir paints a bleak portrait of her experiences with the two sex offenders. She alleges Andrew sexually assaulted her three times when she was 17, whilst she was being trafficked by Epstein, something he categorically denies. For Princess Eugenie, this scandal does not only represent a personal whirlwind, but also a potential professional dilemma.
In 2012, Eugenie travelled with a friend to Kolkata, India, where she crossed paths with a social activist who had long worked with women and girls who had been trafficked, Aloka Mitra. Inspired by Mitra’s life-changing work for the victims of trafficking, providing them with a home, new skills, and support to build new lives, Eugenie and her friend Julia de Boinville spent five years “collecting evidence, building a network and meeting with policy makers, law enforcement agencies, academics, NGOs, social workers, and survivors to find out what we can do to help.”
The Anti-Slavery Collective was born in 2017, and it’s a cause that Eugenie has remained dedicated to. However, a PR expert has explained exclusively to the Mirror that if the princess does not tread carefully, the scandal surrounding her father could “cast a shadow” over her good work, and “risk the credibility” of the organisation itself.
“When a public figure’s family becomes embroiled in controversy, it inevitably casts a shadow over any cause they’re attached to,” explained PR expert Mayah Riaz. “In Princess Eugenie’s case, her parents’ ongoing scandals place the Anti-Slavery Collective in a difficult position.
“It’s a textbook example of when a royal connection becomes both a blessing and a burden. Whilst Eugenie’s royal status gives the charity visibility, the current headlines risk undermining its credibility. The key challenge now would be to create a clear separation, reinforcing that the charity’s work and values stand firmly independent of any family drama.”
One major step the expert recommended the charity take is “taking control of the narrative” and ensuring they are proactively putting the stories of those who are helped by the organisation front and centre, instead of letting the royal scandal “define them”. “From a communications standpoint, there’s also the issue of narrative control,” Riaz explained.
“The charity will need to stay one step ahead. I would advise they define their own story, otherwise the story will define them – which won’t be about ending human trafficking, it’ll be about the seemingly never-ending royal scandal. This means they would need to double down on impact stories, survivor voices, and the charity’s real progress, rather than allowing their identity to get lost in the gossip.”
The communications expert also pointed out that there could be a potential risk of donors getting cold feet about working with the Anti-Slavery Collective, if they don’t quickly err towards “transparency”. Mayah said, “The next concern I would say is reputation management with their donors and partners.
“In the charity world, perception matters as much as purpose. Potential funders might hesitate, wondering if the controversy could taint their association. This is where transparent communication is vital and reassuring supporters that the organisation’s governance and mission are untouchable, no matter what’s happening in the tabloids.”
It isn’t all bad news for the charity, or Eugenie herself, the expert pointed out, explaining that if the Princess choses to opt for “authenticity” it could be a powerful moment for the cause, and the importance of the charity’s, perhaps even strengthening it. “There is a potential upside,” the expert explained.
“If handled with authenticity, this could be an opportunity for Princess Eugenie to humanise her leadership. Audiences respond far better to honesty than to perfection. By acknowledging the scrutiny and using it to highlight the importance of integrity in their work, the charity could emerge stronger and more relatable.”
Overall, the expert highlighted the need for strategic thinking on the part of Eugenie and her charity, and the crucial nature of building trust. “Ultimately, I would say this situation shows the double-edged nature of fame in philanthropy. When your family headline becomes your brand headline, it’s a reminder that visibility without strategy is vulnerability. The Anti-Slavery Collective will need to prove that while titles can be inherited, trust must always be earned.”
