For British royalty, Princess Eugenie, the youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, it’s an exciting new role she’s taking on. She’s recently become a patron of North East charity Arts Work. This announcement, made this morning, comes just weeks after her visit to NYC. She is now eleventh in line for the British throne. By virtue of her royal patronages and professional pursuits, she has established a tremendous public profile.
As a mother of two young sons, August and Ernest, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie balances her royal duties with a full-time position as a director at the art gallery Hauser & Wirth in London. She is just out the door with a big campaign in collaboration with The Anti-Slavery Collective. Their mission is to shed light on the human toll of fake apparel and accessories.
The campaign, titled “Hidden Threads: Fake Fashion – A Human Rights Scandal,” seeks to bring attention to the alarming statistics associated with child labor in the fashion industry. According to the ILO, an estimated 218 million children aged five to 17 work full-time worldwide, with 152 million trapped in child labor. Shockingly, 70 percent of these children remain ensnared by child labor. In addition, 50 percent of European consumers between 15-24 years old allegedly do not consider counterfeits to be ethically problematic.
Princess Eugenie’s engagement with this initiative further exemplifies her mission to address exploitation in the fashion industry. Finally, she reminds her readers that counterfeit fashion is seen as a victimless crime when she writes,
“It’s easy to see fake fashion as a victimless crime, but this is far from the reality. The people making, distributing, and selling these items are too often victims of coercion or exploitation. This campaign is about creating a call to action for consumers. We want people to pause and think about where their fakes come from and how they were made – because only then can we start to change the demand that fuels this exploitation.” – Princess Eugenie
With many other initiatives and royal duty calls, Princess Eugenie remains a vocal advocate for The Anti-Slavery Collective. She is a visiting patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Horatio’s Garden. Her new position with Arts Work embodies her larger passion for bettering the lives of young people through creative expression.
This partnership is expected to facilitate inclusive opportunities that inspire young individuals to become future leaders within creative and cultural sectors.
“We are thrilled to announce that Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie has become our new patron. Her support marks a significant moment in our mission to champion creativity and amplify the voices of children and young people.” – Arts Work
This partnership is expected to facilitate inclusive opportunities that inspire young individuals to become future leaders within creative and cultural sectors.
