Princess Eugenie mingles with the art crowd at gallery owner Jay Jopling's champagne reception in London

  • Princess Eugenie, 25,  attended the champagne reception in London
  • Hauser & Wirth associate director was working at the Frieze on Tuesday
  • Joan Collins and Tracey Emin also attended the event

By Phoebe Jackson-edwards For Mailonline

Published: 17:06 EST, 15 October 2015 | Updated: 17:50 EST, 15 October 2015

Princess Eugenie appeared to be mixing business with pleasure as she attended the champagne reception of an art event in London.

The Princess of York, 25, was one of many high-profile guests at Jay Jopling and Hikari Yokoyama's champagne reception tonight.

Eugenie is an associate director at Hauser & Wirth, one of London's most prestigious art galleries, so it was only right she attended the bash thrown by art mogul Jopling.

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Princess Eugenie attended the champagne reception thrown by art gallery owner Jay Jopling and his fiancée art curator Hikari Yokoyam. Pictured: Holly Branson and Eugenie with another guest

Princess Eugenie attended the champagne reception thrown by art gallery owner Jay Jopling and his fiancée art curator Hikari Yokoyam. Pictured: Holly Branson and Eugenie with another guest

Artist Tracey Emin (left), whose career was launched by Jay Jopling, attended as well as Joan Collins (right)

Artist Tracey Emin (left), whose career was launched by Jay Jopling, attended as well as Joan Collins (right)

The social butterfly was pictured with Holly Branson, daughter of billionaire businessman Richard, and Bob Geldof with his new wife Jeanne Marine.

Eugenie chose a bright red dress with a pussy-bow neckline for the event and wore her hair up.

Also attending the event, organised in aid of a Romanian Children's charity, were actress Jackie Collins and artist Tracey Emin, as well as lawyer Nancy Dell'Olio.

The princess looked to be unwinding after her busy day at work on Tuesday, when she represented the gallery at the Frieze Art Fair's private viewing.

The young royal was appointed by the upmarket gallery, which has offices in Zurich, New York and London, in July.

However she has reportedly been ticked off for her extended absences, which saw her take 25 days holiday in her first ten weeks on the job - a figure that most people might expect in a whole year.

Eugenie was pictured with Bob Geldof and his new wife Jeanne Marine, who wore a teal jumpsuit

Eugenie was pictured with Bob Geldof and his new wife Jeanne Marine, who wore a teal jumpsuit

Lawyer Nancy Dell'Olio wore a forest-green dress with over the knee boots

Lawyer Nancy Dell'Olio wore a forest-green dress with over the knee boots

Art mogul Jay Jopling proposed to his art curator fiancée Hikari Yokoyama in June

Art mogul Jay Jopling proposed to his art curator fiancée Hikari Yokoyama in June

Eugenie was rumoured to be taking a trip to New York to celebrate her mother Sarah Ferguson's 56th birthday on Thursday.

But the holiday was apparently scuppered when the gallery asked Eugenie to man their stand at the art fair, which runs until Sunday in Regent's Park.

It's thought the Duchess of York will now fly into London so the family can still celebrate together. 

Eugenie has worked for the gallery since the summer and was seen clutching her laptop and laden down with bags on her first day.

Her new role comes after she was headhunted while working in New York for auction company Paddle8 and lured back to the UK by a hefty salary rise.

Hikari wore a structured floor-length dress with asymmetric detailing

Hikari wore a structured floor-length dress with asymmetric detailing

Jay was previously married to director Sam Taylor-Wood for 11 years, who is now married to actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Jay was previously married to director Sam Taylor-Wood for 11 years, who is now married to actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Host Jay Jopling, 51, is well-respected in the art industry, having set up the fashionable White Cube gallery and is responsible for turning artists such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin into household names.

He proposed to Hikari Yokoyama, an American art curator some 20 years his junior, in June.

Jay was previously married to director Sam Taylor-Wood, 48, for 11 years with the couple having two daughters together before they split.

She married actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 23 years her junior, after they met on the set of John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy.


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