Princess Eugenie revealed her vision behind her mission to eliminate modern slavery.
In an exclusive interview with People magazine, the granddaughter of the late Queen Elizabeth recalled a visit to India with her best friend, Julia de Boinville, and mother Sarah Ferguson which inspired her to co-found the nonprofit organization The Anti-Slave Collective.
“My Mum took Julia and I to India when we were 21. In Calcutta, we met Aloka Mitra, who has led programs supporting vulnerable women and children in India for over 35 years and is one of the most inspirational women I have ever met,” she told the outlet.
Princess Eugenie continued, “Aloka introduced us to a group of teenage girls she had rescued from modern slavery. Hearing their harrowing stories of abuse, neglect and exploitation was heartbreaking but also deeply inspiring.”
“I felt that if this group of young women had the strength and resilience to reclaim their lives, that we also had a responsibility to do something,” the youngest daughter of Ferguson and Prince Andrew noted.
At last, after years of work, Eugenie and Julia founded the organization to end modern slavery and human trafficking.
“Jules and I spent several years learning more, doing our research and meeting with experts, and in 2017 we set up The Anti-Slavery Collective. All these years later, I will never forget those young women; their stories continue to inspire me to this day.”