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Princess Charlene's backless dress for date with Prince Albert will make you double take - see throwback photo

HELLO! delved into the archives to uncover one of Princess Charlene's most beautiful date outfits from 2008

Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco attend the Gala Dinner for the F1 Grand Prix
Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
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Princess Charlene of Monaco's sartorial archive is a treasure trove of tailored designer suits, bejewelled dresses and regal corsets that have long contributed to her reputation as being one of the best dressed royal ladies in the world. 

Rewind to the noughties, when Charlene (née Wittstock) was still courting Prince Albert of Monaco, and her wardrobe was a colourful collection of vampy mini dresses and backless numbers she'd rarely be seen in now she's a Monégasque royal. 

WATCH: Princess Charlene of Monaco's Style Evolution

Back in 2008, Prince Albert and his then-girlfriend Charlene attended the Equestrian Show Jumping final of the Beijing Olympic Games. Looking bold and beautiful, the South African swimmer looked effortlessly glamorous in a red satin mini dress adorned with an ornate print. 

The blonde beauty stood out from the crowd in her backless number, which featured an elegant high-cut bodice and collared neckline. 

Princess Charlene donned the beautiful tailored dress in 2008© Shutterstock
Princess Charlene donned the beautiful tailored dress in 2008

The princess-to-be swept her blonde hair into a sleek French pleat, highlighting a set of delicate pearl earrings and her glowy, natural makeup look. 

The former Olympian twinned her red dress with her then-boyfriend's red tie© Shutterstock
The former Olympian twinned her red dress with her then-boyfriend's red tie

Nearly two decades on, Princess Charlene of Monaco's standout outfits still catch the attention of royal style fans who can't help but admire her unrivalled sartorial prowess. 

Earlier this month, the mother-of-two joined her husband at the 74th Red Cross Ball in Monaco, where she enchanted guests in a glittering floor-length ball gown from Akris and Van Cleef & Arpels earrings from the 'Romeo & Juliet' collection. 

Princess Charlene wears an ivory embellished gown© Getty
The Princess looked angelic in her ivory embellished gown

"She looks wonderful here. The dress is beautiful and these statement earrings actually work with the look. I'm loving the darker hair as well," penned one fan on Instagram, as another wrote: "She looks gorgeous! The dress, the earrings, the smile!" 

LOOK: 18 times Princess Charlene was an Olympic goddess in poolside photos

Princess Charlene of Monaco was a vision in white at the Red Cross Ball 2023© getty
The royal was a vision in white

"The subtle sparkles and silhouette look stunning on her!," chimed in a third fan, as a fourth wrote: "Wow, I hardly recognised her. She looks fabulous." 

Princess Charlene of Monaco attends the Red Cross Ball 2023 on July 29, 2023 in Monaco, Monaco.
Princess Charlene debuted a brunette pixie crop

Along with her ever-evolving style, Princess Charlene has become somewhat of a chameleon when it comes to switching up her hairstyles. From shoulder-length Barbie blonde tresses to her famous icy pixie cut and brunette crown, there's few hairstyles the Princess of Monaco hasn't tried over the last decade.

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