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Michelle Trachtenberg’s sudden death aged just 39 on Wednesday shocked fans across the world – and it’s likely one member of the Royal Family has been left equally saddened by the news.
The Gossip Girl star was a friend of Princess Eugenie’s after the pair bonded while Queen Elizbeth II’s granddaughter, 34, was living and working in New York in 2013.
Their friendship was first put on display at Madison Square Garden in December 2013, when the duo watched where she watched the Atlanta Hawks take on the New York Knicks.
Sitting side-by-side, Eugenie and Michelle appeared deep in concentration as they watched the basketball game with one another.
Three years later, the actress posted a sweet photograph on her Instagram account of her enjoying a tour of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in downtown LA with the royal.
Pictured alongside three other friends, Michelle and Eugenie stood next to each other while posing for the camera. Both were all smiles as they enjoyed their day out together.
With her arm around Eugenie, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star shared her affectionate nickname for the Duchess of York’s daughter, labelling her ‘my girl E’.
In her caption, she wrote: ‘Let the art tour continue… last week we went to The Broad museum, today I got a tour of the brand new Hauser Wirth & Schimmel gallery in downtown LA featuring ‘Abstract Sculpture by Women 1947-2016’.
Michelle Trachtenberg was a friend of Princess Eugenie ‘s after the pair bonded while Queen Elizbeth II’s granddaughter, 34, was living and working in New York in 2013
‘Make sure you see the incredible #EvaHesse installation. Thanks to my girl E, for being my art guide! Oh and a couple other rascals joined in on the fun today. #art #sundayfunday. Friends who art together stay together!’
Despite mother-of-two Eugenie eventually moving back to London to start her family with Jack Brooksbank, their friendship seemed to continue.
Their friendly relationship was once again made clear during the Covid pandemic in December 2020, when Michelle paid tribute to ‘one of the dearest, kindest and most genuine friends’.
Posting a snap in which she gently leaned her head against a beaming Eugenie’s, making their bond evident, the actress wrote: ‘This is a #throwback post. And a dedication to an amazing person.
‘I met this wonderful human. Years ago in New York. Eugenie, has been one of the most dearest, kindest, most genuine friends I have ever had in my life.
‘As we are going through these very challenging times. I’m finding new levels of gratitude. I am grateful for the relationships I have made over the years.
‘I am grateful we have a vaccine on the way. I am grateful for the people who wear masks to protect themselves and others, and our front line workers.
‘This holiday season will be a challenge. Please stay safe, be smart. So that 2021 we can come back strong! #throwback #womancrushwednesday #stayhome.’
Their friendly relationship was made clear during the Covid pandemic in December 2020, when Michelle paid tribute to ‘one of the dearest, kindest and most genuine friends’
Three years later, the actress posted a sweet photograph on her Instagram account of her enjoying a tour of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in downtown LA with the royal (pictured)
With her arm around Eugenie, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star shared her affectionate nickname for the Duchess of York ‘s daughter, labelling her ‘my girl E’
It’s unclear if Eugenie and Michelle were still in contact with one another in the years before the star’s sudden death aged 39 on Wednesday.
It comes after it was revealed by the Daily Mail that Michelle was so sick during her final outing that she could barely walk down a flight of restaurant stairs.
The star’s gaunt appearance stunned staff at Sartiano’s restaurant in SoHo, New York.
It was Thursday February 20, less than a week before the tragic Gossip Girl star was found dead by her mother in her Manhattan apartment.
‘She looked really unwell, just like very sickly,’ a worker said on Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
‘She was thin, like tiny, she couldn’t walk down the stairs. She was not in a great mood, it wasn’t the best impression.’
‘It’s spooky because she was in here just last week on Thursday night,’ the worker added.
‘We only just found out about (her death) a few hours ago and it’s really sad. She was just with one other person, a woman who was really nice.’
Their friendship was first put on display at Madison Square Garden in December 2013, when the duo watched where she watched the Atlanta Hawks take on the New York Knicks (pictured)
Sitting side-by-side, Eugenie and Michelle appeared deep in concentration as they watched the basketball game with one another
Restaurant owner Scott Sartiano issued a moving tribute to the star on Wednesday evening, less than a week after she was last seen at the downtown hotspot with one other woman.
‘Many years of happy memories,’ Sartiano wrote alongside a picture of he and Trachtenberg together. ‘Rest in Peace Michelle.’ Sartiano added a broken heart emoji alongside the photo and caption.
While police are yet to confirm her cause of death, sources say Michelle died of natural causes.
She recently underwent a liver transplant after battling alcohol issues, friends of the star told TMZ.
Her mother Lana discovered her body in her $7,500-a-month apartment in Columbus Circle on Wednesday at 8am. NYPD officials said an autopsy would be performed.
A spokesperson said: ‘On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual at 1 Columbus Place, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct,’ police said in a statement.
‘Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased.
‘Criminality is not suspected. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.’
Michelle sparked concern with her final Instagram posts in recent weeks and months
Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg was found dead on Wednesday. She was 39
Last year, Michelle took to Instagram to shoot down speculation about her gaunt appearance.
She denied rumours she had undergone cosmetic surgery and added that she was ‘happy and healthy.’
Michelle’s final post, shared on Instagram earlier this month, saw the actress look frail while posing for a selfie in front of a hedge.
Patients like Michelle may receive a liver transplant after damaging the vital organ with excessive drinking. Alcoholics who have been given a transplant must abstain from drinking afterwards.
But liver transplants can also cause potentially deadly complications even for people who stick to the rules afterwards.
As is the case with any other transplant, organ recipients must take powerful immunosuppressant drugs every day for the rest of their lives to stop their body rejecting the new organ.
Michelle was a child actress who began her career aged just three in Nickelodeon show The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Her first big movie role was a child sleuth in 1996’s Harriet the Spy.
The actress became a sci-fi favourite after joining TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2000 as Buffy’s sister summer. She had been in talks to appear in a hotly-anticipated reboot at the time of her death.
Michelle also played fan favourite villain Georgina Sparks in the original Gossip Girl series between 2008 and 2012.
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