Princess Beatrice has spent a lifetime in the public eye. As a member of the British royal family and the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, she’s been under the scrutiny of the public eye since birth.
With her uncle, King Charles III, recently ascending to the throne after the death of his mother and her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Beatrice has been catapulted into a bigger spotlight in the public eye.
She first began making major waves for her fashion choices in 2011, when she wore a very talked-about fascinator to the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton. While there were many controversial opinions about her headwear choice, it sparked interest in what Princess Beatrice was wearing. This was just a moment in her longstanding history and relationship with fashion. Since the early 2000s, her style has been a global topic of discussion.
In 2004, Beatrice attended the U.K. premiere of “The Aviator.” For the occasion, she opted for a thin green strapped dress, with a ribbon-style empire waist belt, coordinated with plum pumps. It was the beginning of the journey of her continuous style evolution, as she was just a teenager at the time.
We would later see how her movie premiere style evolved as she attended the “Young Victoria” Los Angeles Screening at the Pacific Theatre at The Grove in 2009 in Los Angeles. For the occasion, Princess Beatrice adorned herself in a black elbow-length sleeve blouse, black tights, black pumps, and a gold skirt. It was a subtle but elegant look.
As she became noticed for her global style, invitations to international fashion shows followed. In 2011, she attended the runway show for Elie Saab in Paris France for the designer’s spring 2012 runway collection. The 3/4 sleeve red sheath dress that hit below the knee was classic royal attire and was similar to many of the dresses her style icon cousin-in-law Kate Middleton was known for at the time.
Christmas Day Service at Sandringham Church is one of the days on the royals’ calendar where they receive the most global attention. Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have worn clothing to Christmas Day Service that would sell out immediately after the public learned who the designer was. In 2014 for Christmas Day Service, Princess Beatrice reminded us how much she loved a good fascinator, but she had toned down from her most eccentric styles. She went for a neutral color palette with a gray and black striped dress, black stockings, and black booties.
By 2016, Princess Beatrice was putting her support behind various designers across the globe. She attended a launch party for Alice + Olivia’s Basquiat collaboration, and while she didn’t wear anything from the brand that evening, she did show off a new approach to the little black dress. Her look consisted of a black and white patterned dress, a cropped black moto jacket, black tights, and Isabel Marant heeled button-up boots.
In 2018, her love of red from her days sitting front row at Elie Saab continued. She spoke at the 2018 WE Day UN event at Barclays Center in New York wearing a red dress cinched at the waist, with a pleated skirt and long sleeves coordinating with black double ankle strap pumps. That same year, she celebrated her 30th birthday, and we caught a hint of how her style would evolve for the next decade of her life.
2022 was a big year for the royal family with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. During the Chelsea Flower Show that year, Princess Beatrice stepped out in a blue and white floral print dress by the sustainable label Reformation. As sustainability continues on as a hot-button topic in the fashion industry, Princess Beatrice is making subtle nods to where she stands on the movement with her fashion choices now.
Although much of the fashion conversation in the royal family revolves around Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, Princess Beatrice has proven she can hold her space in the fashion conversation. From her fascinators to her colorful collection of dresses, she’s a fan of having an eclectic wardrobe. With decades of service left as a member of the royal family, Princess Beatrice’s style is only set to evolve continuously.
PHOTOS: Princess Beatrice’s Craziest Hats and Heels Through the Years
