Princess Eugenie can't live without one accessory - and an expert explains why

Princess Eugenie melted hearts last weekend when she posted an adorable picture of her holding her youngest son, Ernest, to mark her 34th birthday.

Royal fans gushed over the sweet picture as they finally got a glimpse at the baby boy they barely ever see.

But they also went crazy over Eugenie's eye-catching and quite elaborate headband.

The stunning piece featured a textured surface in a cream hue and exaggerated width - and also came with a hefty price tag of £675.

Designer Emily London wrote on the website about the Etta headpiece: "The devil is in the detail – simple, understated and wondrously flattering on the head, these statement silk hatbands add volume and height with zero fuss."

Now a style expert has praised the Princess of York for her sophistication and love for eye-catching fashion while she also explained how she uses headbands - which have come back in fashion, to "elevate" her outfits.

Megan Watkins, head stylist at online fashion destination SilkFred, exclusively told Express.co.uk: "Eugenie has always been a fan of headbands, but it is fair to say that this headpiece is having a serious fashion moment.

"With styles from the noughties coming back into the fashion fold - see skinny jeans, chunky belts and mini skirts - it's no surprise that Blair Waldorf [a character from drama series Gossip Girl] inspired styles, including her iconic headband, have become all the rage."

The stylist added: "Headbands are a great accessory to elevate an otherwise casual outfit. They create a point of interest and show off the wearer's personal style.

"In Eugenie's Instagram post, she pairs a textured white band with a beige mock-neck knit - the tonal colour pairing suggests sophistication, yet the interesting texture and exaggerated width of the headband shows off her love for eye-catching fashion and her ability to pick out colours that suit her hair colour and skin tone."

Ms Watkins explained that a headband can be a great accessory to "enhance" simple outfits, as per Eugenie's example.

She said: "Whilst a headband isn't for everyone or every outfit, Eugenie uses headbands to enhance otherwise clean and simple outfits - for example, she hardly ever wears a headband with a print dress.

"Often in a wide, padded and statement style, Eugenie uses headbands to add a point of interest to her outfit."