Princess Beatrice gave a special nod to Princess Diana at the 2018 Met Gala

And it's lovely.

(Image credit: REX)

And it's lovely.

Last night saw the 2018 Met Gala take place in New York city, raising funds for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume institute.

With this year’s event having the dress code, Catholic Imagination, to celebrate the opening of the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibition, A-list stars made news taking to the red carpet in their elaborate papal get-up.

Rihanna dressed as the Pope with some help from John Galliano for Maison Margiela, Frances McDormand covered her face with a headdress of green butterflies, and Kim Kardashian sewed a cross on a skin-tight mini dress.

rihanna

Photo: Rex
(Image credit: Rex)

But it wasn’t Rihanna’s bejewelled bishop’s hat or Katy Perry’s giant wings that got the internet talking. Instead, it was the presence of royalty, with a member of the royal family making an appearance.

Princess Beatrice. Credit: REX

The attendee? Princess Beatrice, who attended the high profile New York event in a purple taffeta gown.

While the 29-year-old’s attendance at the event could easily be acknowledged as normal, given how A-list the royals have become, it is actually a curveball move for the royal family and a nod to her late aunt, Princess Diana.

Despite their high profile status, the royal family have only had one member previously attend the Met Gala, with Princess Diana gracing the event back in 1995.

The theme back in 1995 was Haute Couture, with Princess Diana donning a long slip dress for the occasion.

Princess Diana. Credit: REX

Something that both royal women did when attending however, was to assert their royal status with a piece of iconic jewellery, with Diana wearing a pearl and sapphire choker back in 1995, and Princess Beatrice just last night wearing a gold tiara headdress.

Can this become a royal tradition? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle need an invite, not to mention Princess Charlotte one day!

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.