Princess Eugenie has stepped down as patron of the UK charity Anti-Slavery International, the world’s oldest human rights organisation. The decision follows the release of millions of documents and emails relating to Jeffrey Epstein which have disgraced her father and embroiled her family.
The younger daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has campaigned for years to highlight the plight of the victims of modern slavery and trafficking, but to date has not commented on either the Epstein files nor the allegations against her father of sexual abuse. Mountbatten-Windsor denies the allegations made against him.
The Observer has confirmed that Eugenie’s role at Anti-Slavery International has ended. Her profile has been removed from the charity’s website, which previously hailed her work “across the board with leaders in the fight against modern slavery”.
The charity said in a statement: “After seven years, our patronage from HRH Princess Eugenie of York has come to an end. We thank the Princess very much for her support for Anti-Slavery International. We hope that she continues to work to end slavery for good and deliver freedom for everyone.”
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Eugenie, her sister Princess Beatrice or their mother Sarah Ferguson in connection with Epstein.
Eugenie, 35, is co-founder of a separate charity, The Anti-Slavery Collective, which she set up with her friend Julia de Boinville in 2017. In the year ending 5 April 2025, the charity spent more than twice as much on salaries (£191,537) as charitable programmes (£97,206). The Charity Commission has confirmed it is assessing concerns over expenditure to determine if it has a role.
The Anti-Slavery Collective raised £1.1m at its inaugural gala at Battersea Arts Centre in London in November 2023. The event was attended by Ferguson and Princess Beatrice, 37, along with a number of celebrities, including the singer Ed Sheeran.
Eugenie announced on 18 October 2019 – anti-slavery day – that she was becoming a patron of Anti-Slavery International. The charity was founded in 1839 by Thomas Clarkson, one of the original English abolitionists. Eugenie works as a director for the art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
The claims against Epstein include sexual abuse and trafficking women and girls around the world. The Observer revealed last week that the financier’s private jets carried 188 people who were not identified by name like most other passengers in flight logs compiled by the crew, but simply recorded as “female”.
Both Eugenie and Beatrice are potentially key witnesses in their father’s account of his links with Epstein
Both Eugenie and Beatrice are potentially key witnesses in their father’s account of his links with Epstein
Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April last year, alleged during a trip to the UK in 2001 she was paid $15,000 to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor. Brad Edwards, a lawyer representing Epstein victims, revealed in January a second woman has alleged she was sent to the UK in 2010 for a sexual encounter with the then Prince Andrew. He has denied any wrongdoing
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Buckingham Palace said in October that King Charles’ and Queen Camilla’s thoughts and sympathies were with “the victims of any and all forms of abuse”. The Prince and Princess of Wales have said they were “deeply concerned” about the new revelations.
Ferguson was friends with Epstein for a number of years, writing to him when he was serving a jail sentence for procuring a minor for prostitution. The emails appear to show Ferguson, along with her two daughters, flew to the United States just days after he was released from jail in July 2009, meeting him for lunch in Miami. He was still under house arrest and registered as a sex offender.
Emails suggest that Epstein paid for the flights for this trip, with his assistant emailing “[an aide said] the princesses would like to accompany the Duchess and she is wondering if you might be willing to pay for them as well.” Epstein appears to have paid for the return flights, but ignored a later request by Ferguson for her to be upgraded to first class and her daughters to business class for the flight back to London.
“I have never been more touched by a friend’s kindness than your compliment to me in front of my girls,” Ferguson wrote after the lunch and free flights. “Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for.” The emails also indicate on at least one occasion Epstein was assured by Ferguson that one of her daughters could provide a tour of Buckingham Palace for one of his contacts.
Both Eugenie and Beatrice are potentially key witnesses in their father’s account of his links with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. He claimed that on the night he was alleged to have slept with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre in March 2001 he “was at home…with the children”. He claimed he had taken Beatrice to a party at Pizza Express in Woking in the afternoon. Neither sister has provided any comment on his account.
The US Department of Justice released new documents last Thursday concerning Epstein. These include summaries and notes from interviews with a woman who made unsubstantiated claims of sexual assault against Donald Trump. The files had been previously incorrectly coded as “duplicative”, according to the Department of Justice.
The White House said the claims were “completely baseless” and backed by “zero credible evidence”. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been “totally exonerated” by the release of the Epstein comments.
The Anti-Slavery Collective did not respond to a request for comment. Princess Eugenie has been contacted for comment.
Photograph by Anwar Hussein/WireImage