Princess Beatrice cut an elegant figure in a floral dress during a visit to a school in north-west London today.
The Duke and Duchess of York’s eldest daughter, 35, met with Year 5 pupils at St Mary’s and St John’s Primary School to talk about the importance of protecting skin from sun damage and potential skin cancers later in life.
The visit is part of Beatrice’s role as patron of the British Skin Foundation, a position no doubt close to her heart following her mother Sarah Ferguson’s skin cancer diagnosis just months after the duchess was treated for breast cancer.
The Duchess of York, 64, had a mole removed from her body in January that tests showed was malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
Today, Beatrice, who is married to property developer Edo Mapelli Mozzi, looked chic for the occasion in a floral midi dress by ME + EM, priced at £295.
Princess Beatrice looked chic in a floral ME + EM dress during a school visit in north-west London today.
This is not the first time Béatrice has worn this elegant dress, as she previously wore it during her holiday in Saint Tropez last summer.
The 35-year-old paired the dress with a pair of classic yet practical shoes in black and nude tones.
The royal was in high spirits as she accepted a bright bouquet of flowers from the pupils, before chatting to them at an assembly about the importance of UV protection.
Béatrice, who looked animated as she chatted to students about a selection of posters, styled her straight auburn hair for the occasion.
For the occasion she opted for a casual makeup look, complemented with a touch of nude lipstick.
Princess Beatrice’s departure comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed this weekend that her mother Sarah, who has used writing as “an escape” following two cancer diagnoses, has dedicated her new book to her four grandchildren.
She is now looking to the future after being diagnosed with breast cancer last summer and undergoing a mastectomy. Six months later, she was diagnosed with skin cancer.
Although doctors have advised her not to use the phrase “cancer-free”, the outlook is positive and the Duchess is no longer undergoing treatment.
The royals met pupils from St Mary’s and St John’s Primary School to discuss the importance of sun protection and sun safety.
The 35-year-old appeared animated as she chatted to fifth-graders at the assembly about the important topic.
She has now written a new children’s book, titled ‘Flora and Fern: Wonders in the Woods’, which will be published in October.
The Duchess told the Mail on Sunday: “I wrote Flora and Fern for my grandchildren and also for my stepson Wolfie. It’s a special little story that encourages children to enjoy and respect nature and to use their imagination to play.
‘The names Flora and Fern were chosen to encourage a greater understanding of how important nature is.’
She combined her roles as author and grandmother in the writing process, testing stories on her four grandchildren: Princess Eugenie’s son August, three, and youngest son Ernest, one, along with Princess Beatrice’s stepson Wolfie, eight, and daughter Sienna, two.
A friend added: ‘Writing and being in nature are her two outlets. Both have helped her get through the tough times of the past year as she has had to deal with two cancer diagnoses.
Princess Beatrice, patron of the British Skin Foundation, looked amused as she taught her class about the dangers of not wearing sunscreen as a child.
Beatrice observed the work of the fifth graders, who had been busy creating sun safety posters to highlight the importance of protecting the skin from possible skin cancers in the future.
‘She tests all her stories on her grandchildren and is determined to create a little library for them to enjoy.’
The Duchess, who divorced the Duke of York in 1996, has recently been welcomed back into the royal fold after strengthening ties with King Charles following his cancer diagnoses.
This week, she pulled out of her lead role at an Australian literary festival in October so as not to “distract or detract” from the state visit of the King and Queen.
