Blue Ivy: Daughter of Beyoncé & Jay-Z sparks controversy with 'revealing' dress at film premiere, how old is she

The celebrity couple attended The Lion King premiere with their 12-year-old daughter on Monday (December 9), a day after the rapper was named in a civil lawsuit alleging he raped a 13-year-old girl with Sean 'Diddy' Combs in 2000.

But people’s focus was on Blue Ivy instead, as she wore a dress with many condemned as ‘revealing’ for a 12-year-old.. Critics quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their disapproval, calling the outfit “revealing” for a child. One user wrote: “Honestly, the way Blue Ivy, a 12-year-old, is oversexualized by her parents needs to be studied. She’s still a child, but they’re dressing her like she’s 17-18 years old.” Another added, “At the Mufasa: The Lion King premiere, why was a 12-year-old dressed like a mature woman?”

Some users were even more critical: “I have a daughter her age, and there’s no way I’d be allowing cleavage and heels. The agenda is to normalize this and make parents think it’s okay for kids to dress this way. It’s a predator’s dream world.” Another commenter noted, “When my daughter was 12, she wouldn’t have felt comfortable dressed like that. My cousin’s granddaughter, also 12, feels awkward because she developed early. She wouldn’t dress like that.”

However, many defended Blue Ivy, arguing there was nothing inappropriate about her appearance. One woman said, “There are literally princess dresses made like this. Kids dressed like Snow White wear similar gowns. The problem is not the dress, but how some are sexualizing it instead of letting a child be a child.” Another added, “Blue Ivy looks older because she’s tall and has a mature demeanor, but she’s not engaging in sexualized behavior. If you think she looks 17-18, it’s because of how you view 17-18-year-olds. She’s just wearing a ballgown, which is stereotypical for princesses.”

Jay-Z, responding to the allegations made against him, said: “My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at an age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”

The Carter family posed for pictures outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where Beyoncé voices Nala in the movie, while Blue Ivy voices Kiara. The film is set to be released on December 20. Beyoncé also shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, writing: “My gorgeous baby girl. This is your night. You worked hard and did such a beautiful job as the voice of Kiara. Your family could not be prouder. Keep shining.”

At just two days old, Blue Ivy made history as the youngest person ever to appear on a Billboard chart with her father’s track “Glory.” In 2021, she won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video for her role in Brown Skin Girl, becoming one of the youngest Grammy winners. She also joined her mother on the Renaissance tour in 2023, performing as a featured dancer during the song “My Power.