‘Every child has the right to dare to dream for an education’ Sarah, Duchess of York Street Child director Chloe Brett and HELLO! editor in chief Rosie Nixon join Sarah and Eugenie for a photo (above). “I feel honoured to be able to amplify Street Child’s important work in HELLO!,” said Rosie. “We all felt inspired to be a part of the change to educate and empower children around the world” EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS ACCOMPANIED BY DAUGHTER PRINCESS EUGENIE, AHEAD OF HER 60TH BIRTHDAY SARAH, DUCHESS OF YORK ATTENDS A STARRY MOTHER-AND-DAUGHTER TEA PARTY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR A CAUSE CLOSE TO HER HEART t was an afternoon of inspiration and celebration Binky Felstead and her mother Jane, Baria Russia once the baby arrives, she said: “Pasha and I Iwhen a group of distinguished mothers and Alamuddin, the mother of human rights lawyer are both really excited. We weren’t sure that we daughters gathered at Claridge’s hotel in London Amal Clooney, Loose Women presenter Saira Khan wanted children for a while and then decided: ‘Yep, last week for a tea held on behalf of Street Child and Rachel Riley and her mother Celia. let’s go for it,’ and here we are.” and hosted by hello!. While the conversation inevitably turned to The Countdown maths whizz has supported Street Marking their very special bond at the event motherhood, Baria was more than happy to talk Child at a number of events and feels passionately were the charity’s founder patron Sarah, Duchess about her granddaughter Ella, Amal’s twin about children having access to education: of York and her younger daughter Princess daughter with actor husband George. “Especially girls, as girls who don’t have an Eugenie, a global ambassador for the organisation. “She’s only two years old and already the most education have no way out of poverty.” “She’s such a hard-working girl but has taken powerful girl in the whole family,” Baria said. “She’s It is an emotion shared by Sarah, whose charity time off for Mum today,” Sarah told hello!. “She just determined and knows what she wants and I Children in Crisis, which she established in 1992, loves to support Street Child and as a family we couldn’t be more pleased about that.” merged with Street Child last year. “I feel very support each other.” strongly that every child has the right to dare to After mingling at a champagne reception in the MUM’S THE WORD dream for an education,” she said. hotel’s elegant French Salon, Sarah, Eugenie and Meanwhile, Rachel, who is expecting her first child Meeting children such as Muhammad, 12, who the guests were treated to afternoon tea and a with her former Strictly Come Dancing star husband had lost a leg in Sierra Leone, and 11-year-old Ruby panel discussion about the work Street Child does Pasha Kovalev, told us they’re keeping mum about in Nepal, who wanted to be a teacher but couldn’t to educate and empower children in some of the the sex of their baby. go to school, has taught Sarah “forgiveness, Sarah and Eugenie lead the world’s toughest places, such as Sierra Leone, “We know what it is but we’re going to try and empathy, thankfulness and humility”, she said, and mothers and daughters <#A#> Uganda and Afghanistan. keep it to ourselves,” she said, laughing. “We’ve that had shaped her as a mother to Eugenie and enjoying a special tea party at <#B#> The guest list included Dame Joan Collins and only told our parents so don’t ask Mum.” her elder daughter Princess Beatrice. s Claridge’s hotel in London to her two daughters Tara Newley Arkle and Katy Kass, Adding that Pasha’s mother would fly in from “As a mum, I’ve bought my girls up to lead support girls around the world with the charity Street Child ‘My granddaughter Ella is only two and already the most ‘Girls who don’t have an powerful girl in the family’ Baria Alamuddin education have no way out of poverty’ Rachel Riley by example,” she said. “Don’t tell your children charity work. They’re the best examples of what to do something: lead – including the mistakes true, proper ambassadors for life should be. because when you do have to tell them off, you “They’re desperately humble and so kind, can say: ‘I’ve been there before. I’ve done it.’ genuinely love and enjoy life, and I believe it’s “I’m so lucky and proud that I’m a very good because we all work so hard at good mothering, mum,” she continued. “I did something right being good girls and talking about everything. and have raised two really extraordinary, “Both the Duke and I stand very firmly on wonderful children.” familyhood and we really believe in the integrity of goodness, and they are the best examples MAKING A DIFFERENCE of that.” One way in which Sarah has led by example, of With Eugenie married to Jack course, is in her tireless commitment to charity Brooksbank – they celebrated their first work, something she believes she was born with. anniversary last week – and a wedding to “I don’t believe it’s social conscience; it’s in my plan following the engagement of DNA,” she said. “It flows in my blood. I love the Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, art of giving. It’s not about being a saint – I’m the Duchess is entering a new stage certainly not, nor am I a saviour – but I just love of motherhood. to give and it makes me happy.” “I’m quite enjoying mothering Her daughters have also inherited this, she myself for once,” she said, added: “I’m the luckiest woman alive to have two laughing. “Eugenie has got s extraordinary girls who work so hard in their married to Jack and is very Binky Felstead poses up with her mum Jane, while <#A#> Dame Joan Collins strikes a pose (above) with daughters Katy Kass and Tara Rachel Riley and her mother <#B#> Newley Arkle as they mingle with guests, including Loose Women presenter Celia look forward to the Saira Khan (top right), businesswoman and perfumer Jo Malone (far right) and next generation joining the Baria Alamuddin (right), the mother of human rights lawyer Amal Clooney family (above left) ‘It’s really important ‘Eugenie has got married; that my life is Beatrice and Edoardo are very beginning at 60. I’m happy — I can now start so excited’ Sarah mothering me’ Sarah Sarah slices into her surprise birthday cake – made by Fifi’s Cakery – with one candle for each decade (left); and Binky and Rachel capture a photo together to remember the afternoon (below left) Her audience listening keenly, happy; Beatrice and Edoardo is very good news told moving stories of courage, determination Sarah chairs a panel discussion and they’re very happy. I think it’s a joy that I can and commitment. about the work Street Child is now start mothering me. I can put the oxygen Meanwhile, Sarah raised a rallying cry for doing, with Rosie introducing mask on myself now, like they say on the plane!” funds, with three offers of £5,000 each being her onto the stage (right). Not forgetting as well that this week she pledged on the spot to help build three schools. Eugenie relaxes over tea (left) celebrates a big birthday – her 60th. All funds raised from the event will be matched by after donating gifts from her “I think it’s really important that my life is the Government. wedding – including tea bags, beginning at 60. I’m so excited by it,” she said, To finish, Rosie presented Sarah with a surprise a plate and a pencil (below) – to adding that it was a liberating age: “[If you can] birthday cake while the guests rose to their feet for a goody bag for guests to take keep the jungle beans in your shoes, keep the joy a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. They all left home. The Princess had plenty for life, remember that we all go through different with goody bags, to which Eugenie generously of reason to look so happy – it things and learn from the experiences of life.” donated gifts from her wedding, including a small was her first wedding china plate featuring the date of her big day and anniversary a few days later SPEAKING OUT the couple’s initials, a tin of 15 biodegradable tea Sarah, Duchess of York was welcomed on stage by bags and a pencil with a gold crown on the top. hello! editor in chief Rosie Nixon to chair a “It was a thoroughly humbling and moving panel discussion on the work Street Child is doing afternoon where we all felt inspired to be a part of with vulnerable girls across the world. the change so desperately needed to educate and The facts are sobering: 64 million have no empower children around the world,” said Rosie. access to education; those aged five to 14 spend “I feel honoured to be able to amplify Street around 160 million hours more on household Child’s important work in hello!. Plus it was so chores than boys that age; and one in five are much fun to surprise the Duchess ahead of married before the age of 18, with 32,000 girls her special birthday.” H getting married every day. Guest speakers Sia Lajaku-Williams, INTERVIEWS: ROSALIND POWELL programmes director of Street Child in Sierra PHOTOS: JAMES ROBINSON & JUSTIN GOFF <#A#> Leone, Ugandan human rights activist Ritah Give before 4 January and your donation to Street Child’s <#B#> Nansereko, 15-year-old Rosie Van Der Vliet Mind the Gap appeal will be doubled by the UK Government and entrepreneur and perfumer Jo Malone also up to £2m.