Princess Beatrice’s elevated yet affordable accessory that Kate Middleton rarely wears is a fast-track to sophisticated styling

Princess Beatrice’s elevated yet affordable accessory that the Princess of Wales rarely wears is a fast-track to sophisticated styling.

Sometimes we end up being so focused on our outfits for special occasions or even for running day-to-day errands that we can forget about the importance of having a selection of timeless yet striking accessories in our autumn capsule wardrobe. From your best winter boots to warm hats and stunning bags, accessories can make all the difference and take a look to new heights. The Royal Family particularly love wearing different headpieces and Princess Beatrice’s elevated hair accessory of choice is the humble headband. Headbands can be incredibly affordable and Princess Beatrice wore a velvet one in a sweet photo shared alongside the announcement that she and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second baby together.

Princess Beatrice’s cosy duvet coat also caught our eye in this post but her headband was the only other part of her outfit on show and it was such a chic addition. The deep burgundy red colour was right on trend for autumn 2024 and was made from gorgeous velvet.

Shop Stunning Headbands

The texture and colour of this headband gave it such a luxurious feel and the design was very timeless and pared-back. Although we don’t know what outfit Princess Beatrice was wearing underneath her coat to coordinate with her headband, a headpiece like this is much more versatile than some people might imagine.

You can use a headband to dress up a more simple outfit like jeans and a jumper, or to up the glamour of a fabulous dress for a wedding or party. For daytime wear, a more neutral tone is perfect and a bit more low-key, but for evenings out it’s great to embrace jewel or brighter shades, fun patterns and different textures.

Whilst the red velvet one might have been the most recently-seen headband worn by Princess Beatrice, she’s stepped out in plenty of others over the years for weddings, services and on Christmas Day. The Princess of Wales used to be seen wearing headbands a lot for royal occasions or engagements, but in recent years she’s started to favour hats instead.

"Kate used to be a fan of headbands, but since working closely with her friend and stylist Natasha Archer to develop her own personal brand, they have had no place in her wardrobe," royal and fashion expert Miranda Holder previously claimed to Express.co.uk.

She described "Kate’s style personality” as “classic and elegant” and thinks that this suits her future role as Queen Consort. In contrast, Princess Beatrice is a non-working royal who doesn’t undertake official royal duties and loves experimenting a little more with casual pieces and fun styling details.

Caroline Parr, Digital Fashion Editor of Woman&Home, admires Princess Beatrice’s velvet headband and believes you can easily make these accessories work for you.

"Headbands are such a great way to elevate a look - even a cosy puffer jacket! I recently got invited to a 'hats encouraged wedding' and I'd say the majority of people - including myself - were wearing headbands. It's an easy (and much more affordable!) way to add a royal feel to a winter wedding outfit, but it will look just as good on calls when you're working from home. What's not to love?" she says.

Affordable and stand-out, a headband might not be the go-to choice for every royal, but Princess Beatrice has inspired us to give wearing this elevated accessory a go this season.