At 30, Princess Eugenie Is the Royal Family’s Under the Radar Style Star

Lately, the conversation around regal fashion tends to revolve around Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. While both have captured the public imagination with their winning looks, they’re far from the only members of the House of Windsor to take an active interest in style. At 30, HRH Eugenie of York has emerged as a sharp dresser and an increasingly high profile figure, too. Rumored to move into a role as a senior royal now that the Sussex brood has relocated to Canada, the princess—who celebrates a milestone birthday today—will be more visible than ever before.

As a director of the London gallery, Hauser Wirth, the princess is front and center at official appointments and events focused on contemporary art and design. Her interest in fine art carries over into her wardrobe, where she’s embraced bold prints, vibrant colors, and unexpected textures; all from British labels of note. Whether she’s arriving at the Serpentine Gallery’s annual summer party in psychedelic Mary Katranzou as she did back in 2017, or re-wearing a favorite floral dress from Erdem—a black and red number from his spring 2018 collection that features in her engagement photos—she gravitates towards playful pieces. Favored designers include Moralıoğlu, Katrantzou, and Peter Pilotto, who created her sophisticated wedding dress last year, all of whom share an irreverent sensibility that adds something fresh to the traditions of royal dressing.

How the princess’s style will evolve now that she’s likely to be bumped up to senior status remains to be seen, but her latest looks offer a window into the future. At Misha Nonoo’s Manhattan pop-up in September, Eugenie opted for casual combo splashy floral print blouse and black cigarette pants worn beneath a double-breasted blazer. A November screening of American Woman with Sienna Miller and Lady Mary Charteris called for high street brand Reiss’s suede leggings and strappy stiletto heels. Even a night out in Mayfair back in January was elevated by a Sandro LBD covered in tiger print. Those outfits aren’t those of your typical fascinator-wearing aristocrat; they’re the standards of a modern working woman on the go. It’s this down-to-earth vibe that makes Eugenie’s style choices so appealing—and ensure her status as a royal to watch in the coming months.