Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is leading a new environmental campaign aimed at eliminating plastic diapers, just months before she becomes a grandmother for the fifth time.
On November 11, Ferguson, 65, unveiled her new initiative, The Greater Good, which focuses on reducing plastic waste caused by disposable diapers. As her family prepares to grow with the upcoming birth of Princess Beatrice’s second child in early 2025, Ferguson is drawing on her experience as a grandmother to raise awareness about this environmental issue.
“In a few months, I’m going to become a grandmother again,” Ferguson wrote in an op-ed for The Daily Mail. “August, Ernest, Sienna, and Wolfie will be joined by another beautiful boy or girl, as our family grows once more.”
Ferguson has five grandchildren, including Princess Beatrice’s daughter Sienna, 3, and son Christopher Woolf (nicknamed Wolfie), 8, from Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s previous relationship. She is also a grandmother to Princess Eugenie’s two sons, August, 3, and Ernest, 1, with her husband Jack Brooksbank.
“As all grandmothers know, from story-time to nap-time, family life is a hands-on affair – especially when it comes to changing nappies,” Ferguson continued, using the British term for diapers.
Ferguson explained that when her first grandchild was born, she was surprised by how much plastic waste was generated by disposable diapers. “Seeing nappy after nappy thrown into the bin, I began to wonder: what are these nappies made of and where are they going?” she wrote. After researching, she was shocked to discover that diapers are made with plastic, contributing to significant environmental harm.
The Duchess also noted the growing awareness of plastic waste issues, particularly since the births of her daughters, Beatrice, 36, and Eugenie, 34. She said that when she first became a grandmother, she sought out plastic-free, compostable diapers but found that they were not yet widely available.
This gap in the market inspired her to launch The Greater Good campaign, which aims to eliminate plastic diapers globally. Ferguson traveled to Samoa to launch the project, highlighting the country’s significant plastic pollution problem. “Samoa is particularly impacted by plastic pollution,” she explained, noting that disposable diapers make up nearly 30% of household waste in the island nation.
The campaign offers a new solution: high-quality, compostable diapers that break down into soil within six to eight weeks. To date, The Greater Good project has employed 18 women in Samoa to help deliver, collect, and compost the diapers. According to Ferguson, the project is making a substantial impact, with the potential to eliminate about 1,543 pounds of plastic waste every week for every 100 babies.
“With a new grandchild about to enter the world, and my career as a nappy-changer about to restart, I am incredibly optimistic about the future of our planet,” Ferguson said. “This is thanks to projects like this, which are helping to protect the oceans for our babies to grow up and enjoy plastic-free.”
Ferguson’s environmental efforts are part of a broader royal family tradition of conservation advocacy. Princess Eugenie, for example, had a plastic-free wedding and introduced her mother to Peter Thomson, the U.N. Special Envoy for the Oceans, as Ferguson began researching the issue of plastic diapers.
King Charles, a longtime environmental advocate, has passed on his passion for conservation to his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Both are actively involved in environmental causes, with Prince William founding the Earthshot Prize and Prince Harry championing sustainable travel through his initiative Travalyst.
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