Fashion Victim: Great style but lose the Mum, daahling ...

Jun 5 2008 by Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

FROM Marie Antoinette through Princess Grace to the Queen of Hearts Princess Diana, the fashion world’s obsession with Royalty is an unwavering one.

Both Givenchy and Dior produced gowns for the late Princess Margaret, who liked nothing better than to pop over to Paris for a couture fitting, and for 50 years (until his death in 2003) Hardy Amies was the official couturier to the Queen herself.

Princess Diana was very fond of British designers and her vast collection of gowns included pieces by Bruce Oldfield, Amanda Wakeley and her personal favourite, Catherine Walker.

Should she actually go on to become the future Queen of England, no doubt everyone from John Galliano to Jean Paul Gaultier will be sticking straight pins in each other as they scrabble to dress Kate Middleton (not that I imagine designs by either of those would sit too well with the House of Windsor).

However, while 26- year-old Kate waits for Wills to slip that rock on her finger, the ex-accessories buyer could see herself trumped by his cousin, Princess Beatrice.

It is less than a month since the 19-year-old daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York stole the show at Peter Phillips’s marriage to Autumn Kelly in a Philip Treacy butterfly hat and Alexander McQueen dress.

Now there is talk that the self- styled King of Bling, Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, has his eye on Bea as his new muse.

How exciting. This is the man who stars like Victoria Beckham, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez turn to for red carpet show-stoppers. I can just picture the Princess turning up to the Cartier polo in slashed-to-the- thigh leopard print.

It definitely appears that Princess Bea has her eye on the fashion prize. And after being forced into matchy-matchy Princess coats and T-bar shoes with her younger sister, Eugenie, for all those years, who can blame her for craving couture?

Of course, Beatrice has taken her share of stick in the past for her fashion choices. The period costume she wore for her 18th birthday bash was a little bit Elton John – but in fairness it was by hot Brit label Marchesa, the same name behind the £100,000 wedding gown Coleen is rumoured to have chosen for her forthcoming nuptials.

There have also been unfair comments in some sections of the press about Beatrice’s weight, leading Sarah Ferguson – herself a spokesperson for Weightwatchers – to say that she is "a healthy Size 10".

Showing the same sort of steeliness as her mother, Bea seems completely indifferent to this sort of attack. Her answer to people making fun of her clothes, hair or hips is to be snapped at the most fabulous bashes in town, such as Swarovski’s Fashion Rocks at the Royal Albert Hall and London Fashion Week.

But it was rocking up at Davinia Taylor’s 30th birthday that sealed the deal. Ex- Hollyoaks actress Davinia is Kate Moss’s BFF – ergo, instant fashion kudos for the Princess.

If she is to become the next Royal fashionista, though, there is one accessory Bea could really do with leaving at home . . . her mother.