According to some reports, Princess Beatrice was seen chatting with convicted criminal Paolo Liuzzo at a restaurant in the trendy Hamptons, near New York, where she is currently holidaying.

However, a spokeswoman for her mother, the Duchess of York, while confirming that the Princess did attend the same party as Liuzzo, denied that there was any relationship between the two. She said: “She may have said hello to him but that would have been all. Any suggestion that their friendship has been re-ignited is completely erroneous.”

The American, 24, had previously faced jail after being accused of the manslaughter of a fellow student in a drunken brawl in 2002. He was given community service after a plea bargain with the judge by confessing to a lesser charge of assault and battery.

Local journalist Joan Jedell, said : “It’s hard to say whether it was a planned meeting or just a coincidence. Beatrice got up several times and walked past him and this bimbo. Then two Royal secret service men quickly got up to go over and stand by them.”

A friend of the Princess commented : “It was never a serious romance but Paolo was Bea’s first big crush and she still has a real soft spot for him, despite the embarrassment he has caused for both herself and her family. She is a very sweet, loyal young girl and would never just drop a friend because they were in trouble — but she really isn’t interested in him in that way any more. She’s now just enjoying a summer of freedom before she gets her head down to studying for her A levels next year.”

Sending Beatrice to an American Ivy League university is asking for trouble though, isn’t it?