Britain's Princess Eugenie shows off scar on wedding day to raise awareness for scoliosis

As Britain's Princess Eugenie strode into Windsor Castle to marry Mr Jack Brooksbank, a scar that ran down her spine was made clearly visible by a low-back dress. PHOTO: AFP

Most brides would choose a dress that shows them in the best light for their big day.

But as Britain's Princess Eugenie strode into Windsor Castle to marry 32-year-old wine merchant Jack Brooksbank on Friday (Oct 12), a scar that ran down her spine was made clearly visible by a low-back dress.

The Queen's granddaughter's choice of dress, designed by London-based label Peter Pilotto, has become the talk of the town.

The 28-year-old princess did not wear a veil with the dress in order to show a scar from a major operation on her back to treat scoliosis at the age of 12, the BBC reported.

The condition causes the spine to curve to one side, and can cause the shoulder blades to jut out and make the back appear more rounded.

Princess Eugenie told British television network ITV that she wanted to raise awareness for the condition and change the way beauty is perceived.

"It's a lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this," she said.

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The princess had earlier also shared X-rays of her spine on her Instagram account on June 30, which was International Scoliosis Awareness Day.

An article on the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital's website showcases her story.

It states that the princess's operation in 2002 took eight hours, and involved the insertion of eight-inch titanium rods into each side of her spine and one-and-a-half inch screws at the top of her neck.

She spent three days in intensive care, a week warded and six days in a wheelchair, it added.

Scoliosis most often starts in children aged 10 to 15, and is sometimes caused by bones not forming properly in the womb or conditions such as cerebral palsy.

Three to four children in 1,000 need treatment from a specialist, the BBC reported.

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