WATCHING your ex and the father of your child beaming into the cameras as he announces his engagement to a princess can’t be easy.
But yesterday Dara Huang – former partner of Princess Beatrice’s husband-to-be Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi – responded to their happy news with a kind and classy short statement.
She said: “I wish the best for Edo and Beatrice and look forward to uniting our families.”
The reaction was characteristically dignified for the American architect, mum to Edo’s two-year-old son Christopher 'Woolfie' Woolf.
Despite the three-year relationship ending abruptly, with Edo dating Beatrice just weeks after their split - she has stayed silent and refused to condemn her ex-fiancee.
The 37-year-old didn’t even tell her mum Lily they had split – and she found out when she saw pictures of Edo and Princess Beatrice in the press.
Lily claimed the break up was so unexpected that Dara ended up sleeping on a friend’s sofa but the pair have remained amicable throughout, sharing custody of their son.
But perhaps the best revenge is living a fabulous life – and Dara definitely has that nailed down.
One look at her Instagram, packed with exotic locations and glamorous events, is enough to leave anyone green with envy.
Her business, DH Liberty, is based in London and Hong Kong, but Dara has also travelled to Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, China and Italy in the last four months alone.
Living with Edo when Beatrice came on the scene
The daughter of a now-retired NASA scientist Po-Tien Huang, 80, and Lily, 69, Dara grew up in Florida and was educated at Harvard.
In 2013, she set up her company, Design House Liberty (DH Liberty), which specialises in bringing architecture and high end interior design together.
She soon became a sought-after name with clients including Kate Spade NY, Harrods, Cartier and the Four Seasons hotel chains.
Dara met Edo through her work for his property company Banda and she is still involved in many of the £100m worth of building projects the firm is currently working on.
Millionaire property tycoon Edouardo popped the question in 2015 and she set about planning a lavish society wedding with an impressive guest list that included Edo’s Royal friends.
But, soon after the birth of baby Woolfie, Dara was “unceremoniously dumped” by Edo, according to sources close to the couple.
The couple were still living together in Edo’s London home when he started dating Beatrice, around the time of her sister Eugenie’s wedding in October 2018 - and friends say there was “a very awkward crossover of romances.”
Ironically, Dara has always been a huge fan of the Royals.
On the day of Prince Harry and Meghan's Royal wedding last year, Dara celebrated by sipping champagne in the Palm Court at Claridge's with etiquette expert Mya Kaeir.
She posted a picture in a pink hat, writing: "Okay this is as #british as I get..and closest to wearing pink! I'm really excited to see #harryandmegan and the #royalwedding!
"What an amazing moment in history; love that an American is joining the British #monarchy. Living in #london for 8 years now really makes me embrace both worlds."
£2million flat in London
With the Royal romance blooming, Dara moved out of the house, staying with a friend until she found her own London flat.
With a successful design company which renovates some of the most unusual properties in London, she had no problem finding a property for herself and Woolfie, near her Clerkenwell office, where a typical flat costs around £2million.
She decorated it in clean white lines with “a few original mid-century pieces.”
Dara has a second flat in Hong Kong, where DH Liberty has another office, but judging by her extensive travel, she’s rarely at home.
Jet-setting business trips and £800 a night hotels
Dara's high-flying business takes her all over the world and, with a raft of hotel chains on her client list, accommodation is of the highest quality.
Among the exotic locations that have recently featured on her Instagram feed are The £200-a-night Hilton Arcadia and Spa in Phuket, the £800-a-night Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong and and the £450-a-night Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, where she attended the after-party for the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
In recent weeks she has also travelled to Lake Maggiore and Milan, in Italy, and Myanmar.
She is also working on a hotel in Guangzhau, China, and frequently travels home to Florida to see her parents.
In other posts she is seen dining out in the Burberry's swanky Thomas' cafe and in designer restaurants with pals in Hong Kong.
£800 Molona Blahnik shoes and £1400 designer outfits
Successful and businesslike, stunning Dara certainly dresses the part, with an extensive wardrobe of designer clothes.
She lists Manolo Blahnik shoes - which typically retail around £800 - among her most treasured possessions and a recent post saw her dressed in an £850 Fendi cream lattice jumper.
The stunning mum clearly loves clothes and fashion and, early this month, she attended a Vogue party in Hong Kong.
Her favourite 'go to place for evening wear' is Ila The Brand and she was recently pictured in a £700 top and £700 trousers from the site.
Even when she's dressed down at the weekend, she wears a £1,600 Louis Vuitton handbag.
With plenty of designer clients too, we're guessing her wardrobe contains a few Kate Spade handbags and Cartier watches.
Friends in high places and a musical BFF
As a busy working mum, Dara has little time to socialise so she often mixes work with pleasure.
Her friends are scattered all over the world and include powerful leaders such art dealer and gallery owner Talenia Phua Gajardo, Wallpaper China editor Yoko Choy and Petra Freddi, director of the Milken Institute.
Since moving to London, in 2010, she has become particularly close to musician Rosey Chan, who trained at the Royal College of Music.
The pair often meet for dinner in both London and Hong Long, and Rosey is her chosen plus one at the red carpet events and design awards that she frequently attends.
The pair were recently seen hanging out at the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong, for the Vogue party and at a Prada party, and Dara recently named Rosey in a "Girl Crush Wednesday" Instagram tag.
When in London, Dara says she chooses places rather than buildings to inspire her.
She told Lux magazine: "I love spaces more than buildings such as Carlos Place, Mayfair and Regent Street, for the grandeur of buildings enveloping you. It is quite breathtaking.
"The more contemporary work in London has been a disappointment compared to its past."
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Dara's unexpected split from Edo might have been tough but the strong, independent business powerhouse is certainly not crying into her cocktails.
While she missed out on the £100,000 ring and lavish wedding, Dara is doing just fine.
Princess Beatrice is engaged to multi-millionaire property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli MozzincG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jp%2BYm62cpMK0e5BpZ2pwYmqCcLzRoqWcnaOoeqOxwK2popuVYrKlu8Crm6hlnZa9prjLomSmp6qvtrR5xLFknZmilnqpwcCnnmg%3D