Princess Beatrice bravely opened up about her experience with online bullying on Wednesday at the Web Summit in Lisbon. The 30-year-old gave advice to those who are going through the same ordeal, reassuring others that speaking out is the best solution. She told the Thomas Reuters Foundation at the summit: "Being a young girl, but now being 30 and a woman working full-time in technology, I feel very grateful for those experiences. But at that time it was very challenging." Beatrice also said that her mum, Sarah Ferguson, had been there for her. "She has been through a lot," she said. "When you see role models who are continually put in very challenging situations and can support you, then some of the tools that I have had from her I would like to share."
Princess Beatrice opened up about her ordeal with online bullying
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This isn’t the first time that Beatrice has opened up about the public criticism she has endured. The royal spoke to Vogue in 2017, saying: "My experience was about growing up and living in a very public life and living in an overexposed environment. So that's from being 18 and struggling with your weight to what fashion choices you are wearing." Both Beatrice and her younger sister Princess Eugenie, 28, fell victim to cruel remarks in 2011 at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding. The pair were mocked from fashion critics for their choice of outfits. Trying to make light of the situation, Beatrice added: "When everyone else was saying 'you look ridiculous,' you have to have a sense of humour."
Sarah Ferguson has been a big support for Beatrice
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Beatrice is extremely close to her family, and previously told HELLO! that the two most important women in her life were her mum and her grandmother, the Queen. She said: "I have two role models, my mother and my grandmother. They are both formidable women. I think having female role models is incredibly important and I am very lucky that I happen to be related to these two incredible women."
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