Princess Beatrice Has a Secret Weapon Behind Her Sudden Rise as a Royal Fashion Icon

Royal fans have noticed Princess Beatrice’s fashion game lately has taken a major step up. She’s elevated her style to find silhouettes, brands, and chic pieces in her wardrobe that make a flattering and elegant statement whether she’s at Wimbledon or at the wedding of a royal from another country. Beatrice hasn’t raised her fashion game alone, though — she has a “secret weapon.”

Five years ago, stylist Olivia Buckingham entered Princess Beatrice’s life to slowly transform her into one of the most stylish royal family members out there. According to a Daily Mail profile, she hired Buckingham at the age of 30, so Beatrice’s fashionista status has evolved through their partnership together. “I like to push my clients’ boundaries but also stick to their authentic codes,’ she told the outlet. “I don’t want it to be one-sided, what I enjoy is giving them creative freedom, then we meet in the middle and come up with a magical look.”

Calling the process with Beatrice “collaborative,” Buckingham works on the tiniest details, including jewelry and shoes, so the whole outfit tells a story. She wants the royal to feel “empowered and confident by clothes.” Together, they’ve adopted a softer palette of hues to enhance Beatrice’s gorgeous red hair and benched the bolder colors that worked against her. The modern Princess Beatrice would never show up to a royal event with the wacky Philip Treacy fascinator that she wore to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding. 

Buckingham considers their crown jewel outfit to be Princess Beatrice’s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. She borrowed grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s vintage dress by Norman Hartnell. According to The Knot, the gown was originally worn by the late queen to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in December 1962. Buckingham only had to “slightly altered to fit [Beatrice’s] frame. Princess Beatrice is reportedly “the first ever royal bride to opt for a second-hand wedding gown,” per Hello! Magazine, so she was setting a fashion trend. Unfortunately, Beatrice and Edo’s wedding happened in the middle of the pandemic, so the gown and the down-sized royal event in July 2020 didn’t get the fanfare it deserved. 

With calls from royalists to promote Beatrice and sister Princess Eugenie to part-time senior roles, Buckingham’s style choices have Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s oldest daughter ready to be called into action. Princess Beatrice is a modern-day royal fashion icon.

Before you go, click here to see the 100 best photos of the royal family from the past 20 years.