Princess Eugenie departed the United Kingdom for Switzerland just one day after occupying a prominent role at Royal Ascot, where she rode in the royal procession directly behind King Charles and Queen Camilla. The unexpected trip comes as the 35-year-old royal, who is not a working member of the family, continues to straddle personal and institutional loyalties within the monarchy.
Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, shared images on Instagram Sunday from the Kunstmuseum Basel, which describes itself as housing the "oldest public art collection worldwide." Her departure follows back-to-back appearances at Royal Ascot on Friday and Saturday, where she stood alongside senior royals and carried out a rare presentational duty.
On Saturday, Princess Eugenie presented the Hardwicke Stakes trophy, a formal task not typically assigned to non-working royals. She rode in the second carriage of the procession with her husband Jack Brooksbank, horse trainer Ed Walker, and Camilla Walker. Their position-directly behind the King and Queen-was interpreted by royal watchers as a significant gesture of favor from the monarch.
King Charles, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, was seen warmly greeting Eugenie and her mother Sarah Ferguson with hand kisses at the Berkshire racecourse. Eugenie also appeared in high spirits as she posed for selfies with Misha Nonoo, a close friend of Meghan Markle, inside the Royal Enclosure.
Eugenie's visible public role contrasts with the complexities of her private affiliations. She was the first royal to visit Prince Harry after he stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California. Eugenie and Jack reportedly attended the 2016 Halloween party in Toronto where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their first public appearance as a couple.
During a 2021 appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Markle recalled the night: "He came to see me in Toronto and our friends and his cousin Eugenie and now her husband Jack, they came as well... It was a post-apocalypse theme... we were able to just have one fun final night out."
The couple's presence in that formative moment was later highlighted in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, which included never-before-seen photos of the party. Meghan said, "It was so great, just silly fun."
However, recent reports suggest Eugenie's once-close relationship with Harry has cooled. FEMAIL reported in March that the connection had "soured," though representatives for the Sussexes did not comment. Meanwhile, Eugenie's mother has publicly criticized Harry and Meghan's attempt to balance private independence with royal privilege, stating they "cannot have it both ways."
Despite these tensions, Eugenie continues to maintain ties across royal fault lines. Her attendance at Ascot showcased not just her fashion-Saturday's red gown and matching hat drew praise-but also her comfort moving between different factions of the royal family.
Throughout the week, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Zara Tindall, and other family members maintained a visible presence at Ascot. Eugenie was seen sharing laughs and affection with Zara and greeting the monarch with a curtsy, underlining the familial warmth on display.
Misha Nonoo, with whom Eugenie took selfies on Friday, is widely credited with introducing Meghan to Harry. Once a regular in Meghan's orbit, Nonoo was notably absent from recent promotional activity for the Duchess's new ventures, including her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard and the upcoming series With Love, Meghan.
