Ed Sheeran and a choir of modern slavery victims take star-billing at tonight’s inaugural gala for Princess Eugenie‘s charity.
They are to perform at a glitzy fundraiser for The Anti-Slavery Collective, co-founded by the King’s niece in 2017 with friend Julia de Boinville.
Other celebrities including Idris Elba and James Blunt will join Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank, mother Duchess of York, cousin Zara Tindall and former Prime Minister Theresa May.
Speaking ahead of the event at Battersea Arts Centre Eugenie, 33, praised Sheeran for his involvement, saying:
‘It’s the most insane thing. Ed is game changer and an entertainer of a generation, so I’m absolutely lost of words that he’s coming.
Princess Eugenie speaks about her work as the director of the Anti-Slavery Collective. She is to host a glittering gala this evening
Star turn will be Ed Sheeran, who will perform alongside a choir comprising former victims of modern slavery
Princess Eugenie with husband Jack Brooksbank, who will also be at the London gala
‘He’s also one of the nicest people so I’m truly honoured and very grateful to have him there and help us on The Anti-Slavery Collective’s mission.’
Eugenie, the second child of the Duke and Duchess of York, said she had been motivated to set up the charity, which aims to end modern slavery by the humanitarian work of her mother, Sarah Ferguson
‘My mum does a lot of charity work and always raised my sister and I to give back,’ Princess Eugenie said.
The Royal, who now lives in Portugal with her husband Jack Brooksbank and their two sons, said that a trip to Calcutta with her mother and Julia in 2012 had sown the seeds for the Anti-Slavery Collective.
‘We went to Calcutta to visit Aloka Mitra, who founded The Women’s Interlink Foundation,’ she recalled.
‘Aloka is an amazing woman who rescued girls from the streets, housed them and taught them how to print on fabrics.
‘During that trip to India, Jules and I were so shocked by what we’d discovered about modern slavery, when we returned to the UK we learned as much about it as we could, met with anyone who would listen to us, visited safe houses and talked to survivors.’
The charity’s mission is to raise awareness of the 50million people around the globe who are currently trapped in modern slavery.
‘I was 21 when I first learned about modern slavery. I don’t want people to get to the same age without being educated about the realities,’ the Royal said.
The Princess also paid tribute to a slavery survivor from Manchester who played a vital role in setting up the charity in 2017.
‘One survivor who has been an inspiration to our charity was born and raised in Manchester and trafficked by her next door neighbour into a local gang.
‘She was integral in setting up The Collective and we’re always asking her what she thinks… This is an example of modern slavery being everywhere, even here in the UK.’
She urged every Briton to play their part in the war against modern slavery.
‘A victim can walk amongst you but be suffering unfair wages or working forcibly to within an inch of their life in perhaps the construction industry, a nail bar or at a car wash.
Guests at the gala for the Anti-Slavery Collective include actor Idris Elba
Eugenie says she has been inspired by the humanitarian work of her mother
‘Everyone has to open their eyes to what might be happening around them.’
Sheeran had a notorious encounter with Princess Eugenie’s sister, Princess Beatrice, who accidentally sliced his cheek with a ceremonial sword while she was jokingly ‘knighting’ James Blunt at a dinner party in 2016.
The musician always refused to name the Royal but his manager, Stuart Camp, eventually confirmed it was the Princess who had wielded the sword and called her an ‘idiot’.
But it looks like Sheeran has put all that behind him as he prepares to lend his star power to Princess Eugenie’s charity in London tonight.