She is turning 18 and becoming a young woman in the public domain. As�part of the Royal Family in the modern media age, they are becoming increasingly (although begrudgingly,)� accustomed to the unwaivering eye of the spotlight and now Princess Eugenie, youngest of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York is taking her turn with a photo shoot and interview for Tatler magazine.

Princess Eugenie is edgy, modern, streetwise. She likes hip indie music (Death Cab for Cutie, Stereophonics, Jamie T), reggae and “cool” art (a Jean-Michel Basquiat show in New York thrilled her).

An avid reader (another favourite book is The Kite Runner), she is head of the Poetry Society at Marlborough – she recently escorted the poet Carol Ann Duffy around the school and gave the welcoming speech. “I hate to stand up and speak in front of everyone,” she admits. “I feel terrified each time.”

As polite as a cucumber sandwich, she also has a fiery side. “I do have an occasional temper – I sort of inherited my dad’s short fuse,” she says with a self-knowing laugh. “I am definitely not as polite as Beatrice [her older sister, Princess Beatrice of York], I have to say. I tell it as it is. I am shyer at first. Like, at a party I will say to Beatrice as we go in, ‘Oh, you go first.’ But then, when we’re actually in, I am much louder and she is far more polite and solicitous.”

She is a very cute girl and hopefully she can maintain some sense of normalcy for her own well-being. It must be incredibly difficult to grow up under such scrutiny and be expected to perfect from day one, making no mistake because the press is always there. I know I am thankful the press wasn’t around to catch my every and many mistake!

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