Mother of Princess Beatrice's stepson Wolfie at Monaco Grand Prix (2024)

Dara Huang, the mother of Princess Beatrice's eight-year-old stepson Wolfie, has posted a series of glamorous photos from her first visit to the Monaco Grand Prix.

The architect posed in a series of stunning outfits on the French Riviera and hailed the Formula One weekend for being 'every bit as exciting as I anticipated it to be'.

This was despite Max Verstappen claiming the race was 'so boring' that he wished he had 'brought my pillow' and Lewis Hamilton saying he could not blame fans for 'falling asleep' after the top ten started where they finished for the first time in F1.

Miss Huang, 41, who was engaged to interior designer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi before he married the King's niece, also spoke about making 'wonderful new friendships'.

She told her 66,000Instagramfollowers yesterday: 'My first Monaco Grand Prix and it was every bit as exciting as I anticipated it to be. Thanks to all of the wonderful new friendships that I met and inspiring people that surround this incredible sport.'

Christopher 'Wolfie' Mapelli Mozzi was born in March 2016 before Ms Huang and Mr Mozzi separated two years later in 2018. He then married Beatrice in July 2020.

Wolfie has since made appearances at royal engagements, including at the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey last December.

He arrived with Beatrice and Mr Mozzi before holding a candle alongside Prince William and Kate's children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Beatrice used to be a frequent guest at the Monaco Grand Prix, including with her mother Sarah, duch*ess of York- and was pictured kissing Jenson Button there in 2006.

Miss Huang was born and grew up in the US, to where her maternal grandfather had emigrated from Taiwan. She was granted British citizenship in 2022 and now lives in London.

Earlier this month, she shared a glimpse inside her lavish Chelsea townhouse on Instagram - including Wolfie's Minecraft-themed bedroom - to promote her furniture and interiors business Dara Maison.

The Harvard-educated architect has also recently opened up about co-parenting with Beatrice, telling Harper's Bazaar in March: 'Wolfie has had two sets of parents trying to help him on both sides, and I just think the more, the merrier.

'I feel lucky to have such positive people around him, who really embrace him. It didn't have to be so easy.

'It's all about your point of view. I don't understand people who are divorced and then hold their children as collateral; that doesn't make any sense. It's about creating a happy home and lifestyle.'

It comes after she said 2023 was 'really challenging' for her in a cryptic Instagram post in January, adding that it was the year with the 'most changes'.

But she also said: 'I'm not sure why but I just have this feeling that 2024 is going to be our year and a lot of positivity is going to come out of it and I'm so excited and ready.'

Last Christmas, Wolfie went on a Disney cruise ship with Ms Huang before joining her family in Florida, where she grew up.

In Christmas 2022, Wolfie stayed in Norfolk with Beatrice, Mr Mozzi and his half-sister Sienna, two.

As for the Grand Prix last weekend, Charles Leclerc finally ended his Monaco curse by winning a processional race that Verstappen claimed was 'so boring' he wished he had 'brought my pillow' and Hamilton said he could not blame fans for 'falling asleep'.

After failing to convert either of his previous pole positions into a victory on the circuit, it was third-time lucky for Leclerc after he held off McLaren's Oscar Piastri to claim his maiden victory in Monte Carlo, becoming the first Monegasque since Louis Chiron in 1931 to win on home soil.

It came after a dramatic opening lap which saw Sergio Perez walk away from an extraordinary 160mph crash with Kevin Magnussen, and a separate incident saw Esteban Ocon launched airborne following a collision with Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly.

Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz finished third, one place ahead of British driver Lando Norris. George Russell crossed the line in fifth for Mercedes with Verstappen sixth and Hamilton seventh.

But after one hour and 44 minutes in Monaco, the top 10 finished in the same order they started – the first time this has happened in Formula One history.

'It was non-eventful,' said Hamilton, 39. 'Everyone drove so slowly. It didn't matter what tyre you were on. We were driving seconds off the pace.

'I don't know what it was like watching but I am sure people were falling asleep.'

Earlier, Verstappen complained over the radio: "F*** me, this is really boring. I should've brought my pillow".

The drivers were allowed to put on fresh tyres during the 40-minute delay, effectively meaning they would not have to stop if their rubber could last until the end.

Despite being considered among the most glamorous events in world sport, the Monaco track has remained largely unchanged from the first grand prix staged there in 1929. And some have claimed it is no longer fit for purpose in its current guise.

F1 bosses have looked at ways to adapt the tight and twisty layout but have made little progress - with the heaviest generation of cars ever seen making overtaking on the track practically impossible.