As praise goes, the “pinnacle of contemporary splendour” is being hailed; a descriptor that could equally well describe a great piece of modern art or architecture as a person. And now it has been applied to human form: Princess Beatrice. Yes, the same Princess Beatrice who was making fun of the world because of the “pretzel” interest she wore at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011. Some went so far on the internet to describe her shape compare to a toilet seat.
Thirteen years later, Beatrice is no longer the victim of unkind memes, but the pinnacle of Tatlerannual Best Dressed list, joining Akshata Murty (2023) and the Duchess of Cambridge (2022) as the winner of the prestigious Bible award – the competition won by Cruz Beckham (third place) and Victoria Starmer (10th).
No longer the hat-wearing badass, the only thing adorning Beatrice’s head these days is a (metaphorical) crown. But while the princess, 35, is currently being praised as Tatler“The undisputed Queen of the Sartorial Savvy”, there is power behind the throne – as does anyone who tops the best dressed list. Beatrice’s secret weapon? Step forward, Olivia Buckingham, the 41-year-old stylist who is almost as linked as Beatrice herself.
Tall, willowy and with flowing blonde hair, Buckingham could be a catwalk model if she weren’t a stylist. A faithful disciple of the body trend, her own style favors body-hugging garments such as jumpsuits, midriff-baring tops, long lace evening dresses (Self-Portrait is a label), leopard-print slips and crystal-embellished minidresses. .
Although she hasn’t (yet) dressed Beatrice in such racy clothing, she has definitely modernized the princess’s style. There is a marked difference between her “before and after” pictures commissioned by Buckingham: she now knows which silhouettes and fabrics photograph well – vital for any figure in the public eye.
“I never want it to be about me, but I like to push the boundaries of my clients to allow them to experiment and get out of their comfort zone,” says Buckingham. “However, I still think it’s very important to be aware of their insecurities and nurture them in the process.”
Beatrice has always been interested in fashion, but fashion has not always been so kind to her. In the 20s and early 30s, she was often described as “frumpy” because of the predilection for frock coats which, even her allies would admit, was a little old fashioned. Although you had to consider their guts when wearing challenging designers like Vivienne Westwood and Roksanda, the details often let her down. If she wasn’t killing the look with opaque black tights – the nemesis of high fashion – she was ending it with hats straight out of the Ascot-worst-dressed list.
In recent months, however, Beatrice’s style has blossomed and grown, both in confidence and stature. Attending Ladies’ Day at Ascot this year, she looked picture perfect in a green floral wreath Emilia Wickstead dress, worn with nude heels and a coordinating fascinator. At Wimbledon she chose another floral dress, this time by Monique Lhuillier, worn with classic Chanel ballet pumps. While florals are obviously a style favourite, Beatrice 2.0 knows not to let her accessories compete with her prints, instead keeping them flat and simple. Likewise her hair: instead of the updos she once favored, she now tends to wear it loose and more natural.
Buckingham added, “We were friends before, so it felt very organic when she asked me to style her for a high-profile event. Beatrice and I are very collaborative, and we have so much fun together in the process. We work long in advance and call her in to try – then it’s a process of elimination.
“We love working with Emilia Wickstead, Self-Portrait and Monique Lhuillier – we’ve built a close relationship with each designer. Aquazzura, Manolo Blahnik and Roger Vivier are our favorite shoe and accessories designers.”
Arguably, the princess’s evening wear has changed even more dramatically, with Buckingham being styled in soft fabrics that look good on camera – as well as dresses with just the right amount of fashion edge that don’t -they manage to spend too much on the camera. Case in point: the Richard Quinn dress she wore to Vogue World last September, a high-fashion event for which the cap detailing on the dress was absolutely perfect. True, it was another flower, but there’s nothing wrong with having a style formula and sticking to it, especially if you tweak the details to suit the occasion. The moody black-and-yellow palette of the dress was perfect, and beautifully photographed.
Buckingham and the princess have many mutual friends. These include socialite and tableware designer Alice Naylor-Leyland, London Fashion Week sensation Emilia Wickstead and fashion and lifestyle entrepreneur Alex Eagle. Also in the close-knit group is Poppy Delevingne, a friend of Buckingham’s since school – the two are so close that Buckingham was a maid of honor at Delevingne’s wedding in Marrakech in 2015. Like Beatrice, Buckingham appears to be leaving from friend to stylist, and regularly dresses Delevingne’s middle sister for events as well. Buckingham’s other clients included actress Carey Mulligan, socialite Nicky Hilton and singer Eve.
Describing how she works with her clients, Buckingham said, “I start with a consultation just to get a sense of things, and work out if we’re a good fit. Ultimately, my job is to make sure each of my clients feel empowered and confident. I want them to wear the clothes and not the other way around.”
Buckingham is a fourth-generation Hong Kong native. Her maternal great-grandfather, Noel Croucher, immigrated to the colony in the 1900s and co-founded the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. A year before his death in 1979, he founded The Croucher Foundation, a philanthropic enterprise offering scholarships for scientific and medical research. But Buckingham was educated in Britain, at Garden House and Heathfield. It was at the first meeting that she met Delevingne’s sisters, Chloe and Poppy, who became lifelong friends.
Although she would go on to become Poppy’s stylist, the profession was not on her radar at school. However, she went on to study photography at The London School of Fine Arts, before moving back to Hong Kong to participate in Tatler as a fashion assistant. After six months of hard work in the fashion closet, she went solo, quickly making her mark as the well-connected (as she described herself) “token blonde” on the scene. When she moved to London in 2019, she set up a style consultancy with Lady Emily Crompton, a friend of hers. Tatler days. After they parted amicably, Buckingham decided to go alone.
Although her Instagram feed confirms that, as an in-demand stylist, she is rarely alone. Buckingham frequently updates her 73,000 followers with details about her glamorous lifestyle, including pictures of her on a wellness retreat with Kate Moss, partying with her A-list friends and relaxing in a hotel room with her beloved dog, Dolly. Dolly is, apparently, the two princesses who have been most insulted in their lives. Hong Kong’s loss is London’s gain – and certainly Princess Beatrice.
Buckingham, however, is far too low key to take all the credit for Princess Beatrice’s fashion prowess. “I’m delighted, and she deserves to be at the top of the list,” Buckingham said. “I feel enormous pride in it. She wears the clothes perfectly and it is an honor to work with her. I am extremely grateful for our friendship and the opportunity to create this fashion journey together.”