Princess Eugenie shows off scars from scoliosis surgery in new post supporting sufferers
Princess Eugenie is not one to shy away from speaking about her previous battle with scoliosis.
Now, Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter has again shone a light on the condition, also known as curvature of the spine, to mark International Scoliosis Awareness Day.
In a post on her Instagram account, the princess said she was sharing photos taken on her wedding day, which show a large scar on her back to support others who have suffered from the condition.
Princess Eugenie has re-shared images from her 2018 wedding to mark International Scoliosis Awareness Day.
"I just wanted to share my scar and encourage anyone out there who's gone through something similar to share theirs with me," the post began.
"Let's be proud of our scars! I'd love to repost any of your images on my stories so please tag me and I will share.
"To all of you who have just received the diagnosis, to those wearing braces, to those recovering from an operation and for those who have lived with a scar for years – my thoughts are with you on Scoliosis Awareness Day."
She ended the post by thanking the doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and researchers from Scoliosis Support & Research who treated her condition.
Princess Eugenie's scar was clearly visible on her wedding day.
According to Australia's national health advice service Healthdirect, scoliosis is the term used for a sideways curvature of the spine.
It can occur at any age but often starts in children and teenagers.
Treatment depends on the severity of your scoliosis and a person's age, but can include casting, bracing or in extreme cases, surgery.
Princess Eugenie, now 34, and a mother of two boys, underwent surgery to treat the condition when she was just 12, and has shared her experiences on the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) charity website.
She said she was first diagnosed with scoliosis in 2002.
"[I was] told that I would need corrective surgery. This was, of course, a scary prospect for a 12-year-old; I can still vividly remember how nervous I felt in the days and weeks before the operation.
Princess Eugenie said she chose a dress to show the scar from her battle with scoliosis.
"But my abiding memories of the RNOH, where the surgery was carried out, are happy ones — everyone there was so warm and friendly, and they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and relaxed.
"During my operation, which took eight hours, my surgeons inserted eight-inch titanium rods into each side of my spine and one-and-a-half inch screws at the top of my neck.
"After three days in intensive care, I spent a week on a ward and six days in a wheelchair, but I was walking again after that."
Princess Eugenie became patron of the RNOH charity redevelopment appeal in 2012 and the RNOH charity in March 2019. That year, she visited the hospital's prosthetic rehabilitation unit to see how the life-changing prosthetics used to treat scoliosis are made.
The unit was renamed Princess Eugenie House in her honour.
The princess with a patient during a visit to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.
The princess deliberately chose a dress design that showed the scar on her back for her 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank.
When her wedding dress went on display at Windsor Castle the following year, she spoke about the decision.
"I had always wanted a low back — part of it was showing my scar. And I believe scars tell a story about your past and your future, and it's a way of getting rid of a taboo," she said in an audio recording that accompanied the display.
"For me, it's a way of communicating with people who are going through either similar situations with scoliosis or having a scar of their own that they are trying to deal with."