Princess Eugenie’s art gallery has been charged with breaching Russian sanctions in a major blow for the embattled daughter of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson.
Hauser & Wirth art gallery, of which Princess Eugenie is a director, has been charged with breaching British sanctions by providing luxury goods to a Russian national.
The London art gallery allegedly supplied the goods between April and December 2022, which are presumed to be pricey art works.
Exporting goods to Russia from the United Kingdom with a value exceeding £250 ($500 AUD) has been barred since the invasion of Ukraine in March 2022.
According to The Times, the gallery allegedly supplied a painting called Escape from Humanity by American artist George Condo to Russian national Alexander Popov.
The charge, made after an investigation by Britain’s tax office HMRC, is believed to be the first under the law banning the supply of luxury goods to Russia.
The younger Princess of York, who now outranks her commoner parents, is not being accused of any wrongdoing or involvement in the case.
Nevertheless, the case marks another blow for the embattled York clan after Beatrice and Eugenie’s parents were stripped of their titles and evicted from Royal Lodge.
The former Duke and Duchess of York have face renewed public scrutiny over their ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting the palace to strip the York Dukedom.
Eugenie’s parents will also vacate their longtime family home Royal Lodge, while Andrew has also lost the Prince title he has carried since birth.
The shocking decision sparked speculation that Beatrice and Eugenie – who have titles but are not working royals – could be sidelined over the sins of their parents.
Eugenie and her family, who split time between a home in Kensington Palace and a Portuguese residence, have kept a relatively low profile in recent months.
However, the Princess recently stepped out in London for a charity event on behalf of her uncle King Charles’ trust.
Meanwhile, her elder sister Beatrice has also continued to undertake charity work with the blessing of Buckingham Palace.