Growing up royal: Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice's best throwback photos

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew were childhood friends who started a romance after meeting again at Royal Ascot in 1985. The couple married on 23 July 1986, and over the next four years welcomed two adorable little girls, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. Beatrice was born on 8 August 1988, and her little sister Eugenie arrived on 23 March 1990, completing the famously down-to-earth family of four. While Prince Andrew and Sarah separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, they remain close to this day – and their little girls are now all grown up! Beatrice turns 31 on Thursday (happy birthday Bea), and is happily in a relationship with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, while Eugenie is now a married woman after tying the knot to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018. Despite their changing personal lives, the two sisters are still as close as ever. In honour of Beatrice's special day, we're looking back at their best throwback pics from their childhood and beyond – starting with this adorable photo of Prince Andrew accompanying his wife and their little girls – all dressed in denim – for an outing at the Windsor Horse show on 16 May 1992.

The Olsen twins had nothing on these two! Holding hands with mother Sarah in July 1996, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie showed off their colourful mid-1990s style in yellow boots, printed sarong skirts and cute matching bows in their hair.

Beatrice and Eugenie were sweet ballerinas as they arrived in matching purple tutus and elaborate makeup alongside their mother to the Santa's Starry Night Show at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. The December 1999 show was to benefit the Children In Crisis charity founded by Sarah Ferguson.

Keep scrolling for more images of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's best throwbacks...

The royal sisters had a red carpet moment with Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio at the premiere of his film The Aviator at the Odeon West End in December 2004.

On 24 April, 1993, Sarah, Duchess Of York, held Princess Beatrice's hand as she and little sister Eugenie served as bridesmaids at their former nanny's wedding. The sisters looked gorgeous in their extravagant dresses and floral headbands – which Eugenie quickly removed following the ceremony!

There's nothing Beatrice and Eugenie seemed to love more than dressing alike! Here the two adorable girls go casual in baseball caps and varsity jackets in May 1993 at a fairground in Windsor. 

MORE: Why it's an extra special week for Princess Beatrice

It was time for little Princess Eugenie's first day of school in September 1994. Of course, when she made her Upton House School debut in Windsor, her big sis Princess Beatrice was right there by her side. This is just the cutest photo of the siblings! 

You can't look at Beatrice and Eugenie's childhood without seeing a glimpse of their royal cousins, Prince William and Prince Harry! Here the foursome are seen in January 1995 during a ski vacation in Klosters, Switzerland. William, right, adorably helped Beatrice with the collar of her ski suit.

In July 1998, Beatrice and Eugenie wore matching plaid yellow dresses for a picnic with their maternal grandmother, Susan Barrantes, at Wentworth golf course during a charity tournament.

Our 1990s selves can definitely understand Princess Beatrice's excitement! The royal, along with Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Eugenie, got to meet the Spice Girls backstage at an Earls Court concert in December 1999. The look on Beatrice's face says it all really.

Around four years after their divorce, in July 2000, Prince Andrew and Sarah showed a united family front with their daughters at an NSPCC charity tennis tournament held at Buckingham Palace.

Another co-ordinated look from Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. This is another great throwback from Eugenie's Instagram account and her caption says what we're all thinking! "Bea and I are laughing hysterically after contemplating what on earth was in our handbags that day going to church... We quite clearly are loving our full lime green and lilac suits!! The shoes, the headbands... yes to the 90s..." We couldn't agree more! 

Three generations of royals! Princess Beatrice, far left, and Princess Eugenie, far right, were matching in pastels with their grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, for the Queen Mother's 101st birthday at Clarence House in August 2001.

Eugenie and Beatrice, flanking their father Prince Andrew, were seated alongside their cousins Harry and William for the St Paul's Cathedral service in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee in June 2002.

Smile, girls! In February 2004, teenagers Beatrice and Eugenie snuggled up with their mum for a sweet mother-daughter photo in Verbier, Switzerland.

MORE: Princess Eugenie does something no royal has done before

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie may be two years apart in age, but they still enjoyed dressing the same. They even had matching paper bags for their sweets on this outing! Their floral-print leggings and yellow jumpers are a great colour-combo – we bet Beatrice also had the same pink jacket lurking in the background somewhere.

So Eugenie officially wins at Instagram captions after sharing this hilarious throwback with her followers. She jokily said: "As the Summer is coming, here is a throwback to when I clearly did a good job at rubbing in my sun cream!"

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Princess Eugenie loved her shades and hairbands as a youngster. Here she is supporting her older sister Beatrice at her school sports day in 1993, accompanied by mum Sarah and dad Prince Andrew. We love her striped red shorts and matching accessories. So cute!

This may be a solo Princess Eugenie – but how adorable does she look! The denim jacket, shades and cute bow in her hair give her a very cool 90s vibe. Eugenie shared this throwback on her Instagram page with the sassy caption: "Stay cool and eat ice cream!"