Diana had long had pink check in her wardrobe, however. In one adorable 1986 photograph of the Princess with her son, Prince Harry (who, in a moment of royal prognostication, was dressed up as a soldier), Diana is matching some trousers in the pattern with a chic pink cardigan and white shirt. A woman so lauded for her groundbreaking fashion choices, the late Princess of Wales certainly knew her way around this eye-catching design.
As such, it’s not only Princess Beatrice who has taken inspiration from the gingham-like print. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, stepped out in a similar outfit for the Victory in Europe Day 80th anniversary procession on 5 May this year, opting for a Suzannah London checked dress in a perfect mix of spring and summer style.
A major Royal Ascot style highlight, then, for Princess Beatrice, who was in 2024 crowned by Tatler as the best-dressed society swan. She is, we wrote, a ‘beacon of sartorial elegance, pairing vintage-inspired cuts with fresh-from-the-catwalk glamour,’ and the praise certainly rang true as the races today – and it’s only day one!