His super-toned physique on display as he partied aboard a yacht with friends on the Italian Riviera last week delighted his millions of fans.

But it was singer Harry Styles’ vast array of tattoos, each with their own fascinating back story, that caused the greatest excitement.

Now, The Mail on Sunday can reveal the clues behind each of the inkings, and how they show what is really going on in the former One Direction star’s life.

Friends of the singer say he has fallen in love with body art and has, so far, notched up 55 tattoos since having the first one drawn up months after he found fame on ITV show The X Factor.

From the large butterfly design emblazoned on his torso to the two swallows and a black heart on his upper arm, some are tributes to his beloved family members.

Others were inked after he lost bets, while others signify his stance on political issues or to show his spiritual side.

Here, we take a tour of the Sign Of The Times singer’s body art…

The Mail on Sunday has revealed the clues behind each of Harry Styles’ inkings

1 Letter G – for his beloved older sister Gemma. They have been close ever since they were toddlers.

2 Swallows facing each other – used by sailors, swallows are a symbol of love and travel. Harry certainly does a lot of that.

3 17 Black – Harry is a huge fan of James Bond and got this to reference his lucky roulette bet ‘17 Black’.

4 Black heart – signifies his grief at his step-father Robin Twist’s death in 2017.

5 Three Nails – a holy symbol that demonstrates Harry’s belief in religion and spirituality.

6 Butterfly – represents the star’s transformation through life’s different stages.

7 Eagle – symbolises courage and freedom, he got this to cover a previous tattoo that included the words ‘Thing’s I can’.

8 Two fern leaves – to show his growth, endurance and strength – it covered up previous tattoo that read ‘Might as well’.

9 Anchor – a reminder for him to remain grounded, despite his global fame and fortune.

10 Large Tiger – a sign of determination. When asked what it meant, Harry replied: ‘Tiger, Roar!’

11 Skeleton in a suit — he got this for Halloween in 2013 to show his fondness for the October celebration.

12 Handshake – a symbol of equality, something that Harry staunchly believes in.

13 ‘Silver Spoon’ words – a reminder that he was not born with privilege and needs to be grounded despite his success.

14 Anatomical heart – Harry had this done in 2012 to signify that he wears his heart on his sleeve.

15 ‘You Booze, You Lose’ with a picture of a bottle – Harry had this done in 2014 in the aftermath of a raucous period in his life.

16 Holy Bible – a sign inked to demonstrate the star’s spiritual and religious beliefs despite his wild lifestyle.

17 The name Olivia: A tribute to his ex-girlfriend Olivia Wilde, though some fans have speculated that it is after the One Direction song of the same name.

18 The word ‘Colazione’ – which means breakfast in Italian – Harry’s favourite meal of the day.

Harry’s vast array of tattoos have been a cause of much excitement among fans

From a rose to 99p… the ones you can’t see

Star – Harry’s first marking, done on his 18th birthday.

Mermaid – tribute to his father, Desmond Styles, an avid fisherman. It also symbolises the zodiac sign Pisces and is a nod to his late grandfather, who was a Pisces.

‘R’ – to remember his stepfather Robin Twist, who died of cancer in 2017.

Coat hanger – a symbol of the reproductive rights movement. Shows Harry’s support for abortion rights and feminism.

Ship – reminder that he’s always homeward bound.

Late Late – One Direction played a game of Tattoo Roulette on The Late Late Show with James Corden, when Harry lost he had to get this inked on his arm on the show.

Green Bay Packers – Harry is a fan of the NFL team.

Iced Gem Cookie – another tribute to his sister Gemma.

Hebrew letters – meaning Gemma, more love for his sister.

Second set of Hebrew letters which translate as ‘Can I stay?’ – a joke among Harry’s friends who think women are always trying to find ways to stay at his place.

The mermaid tattoo is a tribute to his father, Desmond Styles, an avid fisherman

Pingu – Harry and Ed Sheeran had the same inking done in 2013 after a drinking session when they discussed how much they love the cartoon.

Small guitar – represents his passion for music.

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon – tribute to rock group.

Arlo and Jackson – recognition for his godchildren.

The word ‘Hi’ – done as a private joke with One Direction band mate Louis Tomlinson, who has the word ‘Oops’.

Rose – symbolises Harry’s hopes of enjoying romance.

Cross – shows Harry’s ambition to live his life spiritually.

Fly/insect tattoo – done in 2017, it signifies upcoming change.

LA + NY + LON – abbreviations for the three cities where he spends most of his time.

Letter ‘A’ – tribute to his mum, Anne Twist.

Key – former band mate Tomlinson has the same emblem in the same place to signify their close bond.

Padlock – inked by Ed Sheeran in 2013.

Shamrock – tribute to LA’s Shamrock Social Club’s tattoo parlour, where Harry is said to have had the majority of his tattoos done.

99p – a private joke Harry enjoys with his US friends who say that everything costs 99p in the UK.

Aquarius zodiac sign – representing his birth sign.

Birdcage – he had this done in 2012 at the time One Direction were pursued so much by fans they felt like caged animals.

Two theatre masks – represents his love of live performance.

‘1967’ – birth year of his mum, Anne Twist.

‘1957’ – birth year of his dad, Desmond Styles.

‘SMCL’ – stands for Smile Now Cry Later – one of his mantras.

Half a broken heart – believed to be friendship symbol with Kings Of Leon’s drummer Nathan Followill.

Cross with letter B – his maternal grandfather was Brian and his paternal grandmother was Beryl. The B references them both.

‘Mary’ – his grandmother Beryl’s middle name.

Palm tree – another nod to his sister Gemma who has the same tattoo in the same spot on her arm. Symbolises eternity.

‘California’ – a tribute to state.

The word ‘Brasil’: Harry revealed this during a concert in Rio De Janerio in 2014.

Words ‘Never Gonna Dance Again’ – lyric from Wham song Careless Whisper.

Words – ‘Dance Again’: to show Harry never likes a concert to end.

Crown tattoo: is said to be a reminder to believe in himself.

Screw – all members of 1D except for Niall Horan have this. They had it done to remind them to stay grounded.

The French and Spanish words ‘Oui’, ‘Non’, ‘Si’ and ‘No’: A joke to reference Harry’s difficulty making decisions.