While we often draw style inspiration from the likes of Princess Beatrice, the Princess of Wales and Zara Tindall, it isn’t only their recent royal appearances that make it onto our summer sartorial vision board.
From their teenage years to their early 20s, the it-girls of the British royal family have always served as serious style inspiration – and we have the proof.
© Getty ImagesCast your minds back to 2009, a 19-year-old Princess Beatrice stepped out in a hot coral summer ensemble that wouldn’t look out of place on the King’s Road today.
The outfit in question was a killer pink ra-ra style minidress, the number covered in ruffled layers – a staple of the late 90s and early noughties.
© Getty ImagesBeatrice was wearing the Elle Woods-esque outfit while attending the Wonderland launch party of the luxury jewellery brand Boodles.
The British Princess paired her hot coral ensemble with a pair of glitzy silver stilettos and let her fiery tresses – styled which zeitgeist-esential face-framing layers – do all the talking.
© Getty ImagesBeatrice was joined at the event by Cara Delevingne’s fellow famous model sister, Poppy Delevingne, as well as Beatrice’s former boyfriend and American businessman, Dave Clark, who was in a relationship with Beatrice for 10 years before they mutually split in July 2016.
Who was Princess Beatrice’s ex-boyfriend Dave Clarke?
The pair were introduced to each other by the future King at Sean Brosnan, the son of Hollywood actor Pierce Brosnan’s birthday party.
During his years at St Andrews, William met Dave, who was doing a study abroad programme at the University of Edinburgh.
© WireImageDave and Beatrice were regularly seen out and about in London together, attending exclusive clubs or on the front row at fashion week and when Beatrice’s role as an extra in The Young Victoria hit the big screen, Dave proudly stepped out at the premiere with his girlfriend and her family, who he was a hit with.
Sarah Ferguson previously told People Magazine of Dave: “I call him Mr Smiley because he smiles and he’s happy. I love Dave.”
The pair then travelled to the US for Dave’s career at taxi app Uber, and Princess Beatrice settled down in the country after finding a job at a consultancy in New York City.
The duo were friendly with several other high-profile couples, including Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Donna Air and James Middleton and Holly and Nick Candy.
Their decade-long relationship came to an end in 2016 after discussing the possibility of marriage. A source told The Mail on Sunday: “After ten years together, Beatrice and Dave had to wonder why they were not married. They talked it through and decided to take time apart to reflect on the future. They remain friends and the decision to break up was mutual.”
