Princess Eugenie has been commended on social media for her openness about her scoliosis, after a teenage girl revealed the royal ‘unzipped her dress’ to expose her back scar to her.
Poppy Gerrard, who met the Princess in 2017 after her dance group placed ninth on Britain’s Got Talent, has described the encounter as ‘a dream come true.’
The Mersey Girls, who wowed Alisha Dixon after their first audition on the popular TV show, were invited to afternoon tea in Buckingham Palace as an acknowledgment of their fantastic performance. Despite failing to secure the winning title, their meeting with the royal icon turned out to be an unforgettable consolation prize.
Princess Eugenie, who was born with scoliosis, was more than happy to chat with the girls about the spine altering condition.
“She told us about her scoliosis journey and what she had been through with her operations,” Gerrard told the Daily Mail.
The princess even revealed the physical effect of her surgery to the girls, unzipping her fitted blue dress to show the scar.
“It gave me goosebumps that a princess was so proud of her imperfections and that she was prepared to share something like that with us,” Gerrard said.
“I will never forget that day. It was just like we were talking to a friend.”
Princess Eugenie, who underwent an intensive spinal operation at the age of 12, has long been open about the struggles of living with the condition. Prior to the surgery, she experienced extreme pain and ended up completely bedridden.
“That was very frustrating and I remember being angry about not being able to run and play,” she revealed in 2018.
Her quality of life drastically improved after the surgery, which was essential to correct her spinal curve.
“They put metal rods in my neck and eight inch screws up my back, which have now fused together and keep me straight,” she explained in 2012.
Last October, she became a patron for Scoliosis Association UK, a charity which provides support and information to those affected by the condition.
