Princess Eugenie on why she revealed scoliosis scar on wedding day: 'I realised I could help others'

Her stunning dress was specially designed to reveal the scar
EPA
Megan White22 December 2018

Princess Eugenie has opened up about the trauma of her scoliosis diagnosis for the first time since her wedding – and told of how she became “very proud” to show it to others suffering from the condition.

Eugenie, who was diagnosed with the painful spinal condition aged 11, had her wedding dress designed specially to reveal the scar.

She told the Daily Telegraph that despite being upset when she first discovered she would need an operation, she always “had total faith” that she would be okay in the end.

Princess Eugenie, who was left with two titanium rods in her back from the operation, said: “I believe scars are like memories that tell a story on your body, that remind you how strong you had to be, and that you survived to talk about it.

The wedding took place at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on October 12
AFP/Getty Images

“Your scars are a way of communicating, and sharing a trauma can be healing in so many ways. It can release that stigma you might have given to yourself and by talking about it you can show people how they can heal, too.

“I don’t think I actually thought: ‘Oh, I will have a scar’, I was only 11 years old when I was told I needed surgery and that bombshell left me reeling, as well as the idea that I would not be at school, or be normal like the other students.

Princess Eugenie's wedding - In Pictures

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“There are so many emotions and worries that go thundering through your head. Will I be able to play sports, or will I look the same, or will I miss a lot of school and be behind?”

The Princess of York, who married Jack Brooksbank in October, revealed that she found the time before the operation the most upsetting – “the fear of the unknown and having a condition that made me different.”

She also revealed a touching anecdote about her work as patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.

The 28-year-old added: “I remember showing a little girl who couldn’t yet sit up from her operation.

“Her eyes grew so big and eventually a huge smile lit up her face when she saw I had such a big scar and was standing up tall in front of her.”

She worked with Christopher de Vos and Peter Pilotto on her stunning gown, of which the plunging v at the back became a centre piece.

Princess Eugenie even eschewed a traditional veil so as not to “take away from the scar and the beautiful design they had created.”

She is also a supporter of Changing Faces, a charity for people with visible differences or disfigurements.

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