Princess Eugenie shared her joy as she was joined by Princess Rajwa of Jordan for a visit to Springfield University Hospital in Tooting, South London. Rajwa, 31, and her husband, Crown Prince Hussein, are currently on an official visit to Europe, having travelled to Paris last week. The mother-of-one and the King's niece, 35, viewed a number of artworks created as part of an initiative by the charity Hospital Rooms, which integrates art into mental health care environments.
The Princesses were shown around the hospital by Niamh White, co-founder of the charity, with Eugenie describing the space as "truly beautiful" in an Instagram post. Rajwa and Eugenie then visited Hauser & Wirth gallery together, where Eugenie is a director.
© Royal Hashemite Court
© Royal Hashemite CourtVanessa Ford, Chief Executive of South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (pictured second left above) said: "It was a pleasure to host Their Royal Highnesses, Princess Eugenie and Princess Rajwa at Springfield University Hospital this week. We always welcome the opportunity to highlight the vital work we do for our patients and their families, and to showcase how our groundbreaking art programme has helped make our hospitals more inclusive, break down barriers to care, and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. Compassion, creativity, and connection are central to recovery, and our collaboration with Hospital Rooms has created healing spaces that empower both patients and staff.”
Rajwa's interest in the art world is thought to have stemmed from her background as an architect. She also studied for an Associate of Arts degree in visual communications from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, in 2019.
© Royal Hashemite CourtEugenie has worked at Hauser & Wirth since 2015, having previously worked at Paddle8 auction house after obtaining a degree in English Literature and Art History in 2012. The mother-of-two previously visited Springfield University Hospital last December to see the newly installed artwork.
It comes ahead of Crown Prince Hussein's outing with the Prince of Wales to RAF Benson on Wednesday. Both heirs are trained helicopter pilots, with Prince William training at both RAF Shawbury and RAF Valley, while Crown Prince Hussein completed his pilot training with the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) in 2019.
British-Jordanian royal ties
Jordan holds personal memories for the Princess of Wales, who lived in the country for nearly three years as a child when her father, Michael Middleton, relocated to the capital of Amman in his role as a British Airways manager.
© Shutterstock / The Middleton FamilyKate got the chance to show her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, around the beloved country she once called home, during a family holiday to the ancient city of Petra in 2021. In 2023, William and Kate were among the royal guests at Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa's wedding, alongside Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
© AlamyBut links between Britain and Jordan go way back – King Abdullah's mother is British-born Princess Muna al-Hussein, who was born in Suffolk and changed her name from Antoinette Avril Gardiner upon her marriage to Abdullah's father, King Hussein.
© Getty ImagesAbdullah studied at Pembroke College at the University of Oxford and began his military career at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst – also attended by Princes William and Harry, as well as Abdullah and Rania's three eldest children, Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Iman and Princess Salma.
