The $30 million gesture of support

Princess Anne hosted a private reception for the five winners of the Daily Mail Inspirational Women Awards,hearing their powerful stories of campaigning on issues from social media regullation to knife crime, eating disorders, cultic abuse, and humanitarian aid.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal dedicated time from her demanding schedule to meet the recipients of the Daily Mail Inspirational Women Awards at a private reception held at St James's Palace in London.

The event, which honored five remarkable women, saw Princess Anne displaying her characteristic elegance in a green dress and navy blazer.

Five women, five stories of resilience

Among the honorees was Ellen Roome MBE, a 50-year-old mohter whose advocacy for stricter regulation of addictive social media features stems from the tragic death of her 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney, in April 2022.

Although she has been denied access to her son's social media data to understand the full circumstances, her relentless campaigning achieved a significant policy victory earlier this year.

The Government agreed to an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, mandating that children's soccial media data be automatically preserved within five days of their death .

Princess Anne's personal touch

After receiving her award, Ellen praised Princess Anne's genuine interest and down-to-earth nature, calling the meeting an honour.

Another honoree, Leanne Lucas, a former yoga teacher from Southport, Merseyside, transformed personal tragedy into a powerful movement against knife crime through her organisation, Let's Be Blunt.

She organised a Taylor Swift-themed children's workshop in 2023 that was shattered when teenager Axel Rudakubana launched a frenzied knife attack, killing three young girls-Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe.

The power of grassroots activism

Leanne has become a leading voice in prevention, despite suffering severe physical injuries and psychological trauma.

She described Princess Anne as an avid campaigner, well-versed on many issues, and appreciated the princess's personal gratitude for the winners' daily struggles.

Rachael Reign, a 32-year-old single mother from south London, was recognized for her work as a leading survivor expert on spiritual and cultic abuse.

Through her organisation, Surviving Universal UK, she assists individuals leaving high-control groups.

Princess Anne's enduring legacy

Princess Anne, a long-standing patron of Sense and Sense International since 1989, wore the charity's badge and engaged warmly with the group, even joking about the previous night's celebratory dinner.

The five winners were chosen by a judging panel from hundreds of nominations following the Daily Mail's launch of its annual Inspirational Women Awards two months ago.

The awards celebrate women who go the extra mile for others .