Princess Eugenie has been hit with sad news following the death of her close friend Michelle Trachtenberg.
The Gossip Girl actress was found dead in her Manhattan apartment on Wednesday, aged just 39.
The pair formed a close bond when Eugenie was living and working in New York in 2013.
Trachtenberg once described the royal as "one of the dearest, kindest and most genuine friends" she had ever had.
Michelle Trachtenberg and Princess Eugenie pictured in 2013 in New York
Getty
The New York Police Department confirmed they responded to an emergency call at around 8am on Wednesday at One Columbus Place.
Officers found Trachtenberg "unconscious and unresponsive" in her £7,500-a-month apartment.
Emergency medical services attended the scene and pronounced her dead.
Police have stated that there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.
Michelle Trachtenberg previously gushed about her friendship with Princess Eugenie on Instagram
Instagram / Michelle Trachtenberg
The medical examiner will determine the cause of death, with the investigation ongoing.
Princess Eugenie and Michelle's friendship was first publicly displayed at Madison Square Garden in December 2013.
The pair were photographed sitting side-by-side, watching the Atlanta Hawks take on the New York Knicks.
They appeared deep in concentration as they enjoyed the basketball game together.
Michelle Trachtenberg and Princess Eugenie became close friends during the royal's gap year in the US
Instagram / Michelle Trachtenberg
Eugenie, who is the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, had moved to New York to work for auction house Paddle8.
The royal had previously studied English Literature and History of Art at Newcastle University.
Their friendship continued to flourish, with Michelle posting a sweet photograph on Instagram in 2016.
The image showed the pair enjoying a tour of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in downtown Los Angeles.
Michelle affectionately referred to the royal as "my girl E" in the post.
Michelle Trachtenberg and Princess Eugenie pictured over a decade ago
Instagram / Michelle Trachtenberg
"Thanks to my girl E, for being my art guide!" she wrote. "Friends who art together stay together!"
Despite Eugenie eventually moving back to London, their bond appeared to remain strong. Their friendship was highlighted again during the Covid pandemic in December 2020.
Michelle shared a throwback photo of herself gently leaning her head against a beaming Eugenie.
"Eugenie has been one of the most dearest, kindest, most genuine friends I have ever had in my life," she wrote on Instagram. "I'm finding new levels of gratitude. I am grateful for the relationships I have made over the years."
It remains unclear if Eugenie and Michelle were still in contact in the years before the actress's death. Princess Eugenie has not yet publicly addressed Michelle's passing.
