Princess Beatrice steps out in style for Royal Ascot races

While the former Kate Middleton prepares for her new baby, another young royal is stepping into the spotlight: Princess Beatrice.

Yes, she of deer-antler royal wedding hat fame.

The 24-year-old royal is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth’s second son, Prince Andrew, and Fergie, the former Duchess of York. That makes her Prince William’s first cousin, for those needing things in Kate-William terms, and fifth in line for the British throne.

Until the royal baby arrives, that is.

The princess arrived to the Royal Ascot races in Berkshire, west of London, in a horse-drawn carriage Thursday with her aunt, Princess Anne. Her younger sister Princess Eugenie, 23, and other royals attended the third day the races as well. You know, that event where people have to wear awesome hats and adhere to a pretty strict dress code?

Thursday at the races is known as Ladies Day, where fashion jockies for attention ahead of the horses. The event even had “style assistants,� a.k.a. fashion police, to enforce the dress code, which prohibits bare midriffs, mini hemlines and strapless, halter or thin-strapped garments for women and requires shirts and ties for men.

PHOTOS: Ladies Day at Royal Ascot

The carriage procession is part of the tradition of bringing the queen to the course. Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, were also in attendance.

But Beatrice is getting props for being impeccably dressed to the event, which requires top hats and tails to be worn by men. She wore a black Hannah Coffin dress with an embellished neckline from and gold pillbox fascinator by Phillip Treacy, according to the U.K.’s Express. Earlier in the week, she was seen wearing a striped RED by Valentino trenchcoat with a silver fascinator by milliner Nerida Fraiman.

The princess recently announced she’ll be focusing on a career in finance rather than royal duties. But on Friday, she visited West Yorkshire to officially open the new Trinity Academy school. She went on to visit the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and also appeared at a lunch event and fashion show at the University of Huddersfield, the Daily Mail said.

The red-headed royal is no Duchess of Cambridge when it comes to style but appears poised to sell out dresses much like Catherine.

In a private box, she and her sister Eugenie cheered along Queen Elizabeth’s thoroughbred horse Estimate, which went on to win the race much to the delight of the British monarch, who was also in attendance.

“Huge congratulations to Her Majesty for Estimate’s victory at Royal #Ascot - first time ever a reigning monarch’s horse has won the Gold Cup,� U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, presented his lilac-clad mother with her trophy.

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