10 reasons why Princess Anne is still a style leader at 75

Telegraph

15 hours ago

Of all the ways that Princess Anne might choose to describe herself, 'style icon' is almost certainly not one of them. Yet as she turns 75 on Friday, there's no denying that the King's only sister has become an unconventional fashion pin-up in her later years.
Whether it's her penchant for talking-point accessories, her sports-luxe aesthetic or her thoroughly modern approach to rewearing pieces that have been in her wardrobe for decades, she's loved by Gen Z and her contemporaries alike for her no-nonsense approach to fashion. Here are 10 reasons why.
Breaking the royal fashion rules
There is endless unwritten (and, probably, written) fashion protocol for the Royal family to follow, especially the women. Anne has long thrown caution to the wind when it comes to toeing the line – but not in the way that a fashion-lover like the late Diana, Princess of Wales would.
Rather than showing off a little risqué shoulder or wearing black when the dress code requires colour, à la Lady Di, Anne is instead more likely to trump the fashion rules by dressing for practicality. She wears dark sunglasses for formal outdoor events, chooses cheaper costume jewellery over the pieces from the Royal Collection, and often keeps leather gloves on even when indoors.
The poster girl for rewearing
Long before the green fashion agenda became mainstream, Princess Anne was happily rewearing the same looks again and again, sometimes decades apart. For example, a blue fur-lined coat, which she first wore in her 20s for the 1976 wedding of Chris Collins and Susanne Lumb, has seen her through multiple winters since, including for Christmas at Sandringham in 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2012.
She also has her pieces subtly altered to make them less obviously trend-driven: case in point, a bubble-gum pink gown she wore to the 1984 BAFTAs, whose balloon sleeves she had redesigned for an event for Save the Children in the 2000s. In an especially touching move, she's also recently been seen wearing pieces from her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe, including several of her old coats.
Nailing the unexpected accessory
Bucket hats, wrap-around sunglasses and Adidas running shoes might sound like the packing list for a Gen Z heading to a festival, but they are all pieces that Princess Anne has been spotted in recent years. In fact, she's always been known for her penchant for a talking point accoutrement: whether that's a hat with a bug brooch attached to it for a royal tour of Australia in 1970, or her endless selection of equestrian-inspired brooches. And don't forget her Russian fur hats, often seen at Christmas.
Local over designer
While other senior royal women, like the Princess of Wales and Duchess of Edinburgh, often wear designers like Alexander McQueen, Erdem or Emilia Wickstead, Princess Anne is more often than not wearing smaller, less well-known local brands. Some of her go-tos include Shibumi, an occasion wear brand based in Horsley in Gloucestershire (not far from her Gatcombe Park home), whose cashmere coats and scarf shawls she turns to again and again.
Another is the Cheltenham-based Cotswold Collections, whose paisley print shirt and midi skirt co-ord she debuted during her royal tour of Sri Lanka last year. She's even been known to peruse the Royal Collection gift shops for her clothing, famously wearing the Balmoral Blue Jura handbag, from the Scottish royal residence's online store.
The patron saint of headscarves
Perhaps no one has done as much for the humble headscarf as Princess Anne, who has undeniably picked up the style mantle from her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. A fan since the 1970s, she's almost never seen without one either adorning her neck or her head, and has them in an array of colours and patterns. In fact, her love of the style is just one of the reasons why she's become so adored by Gen Z today, who cite her as a major 'quiet luxury' pin-up for her cool equestrian aesthetic. With silk scarves and bandanas being one of the biggest street style trends of the past few years, Princess Anne is bang on trend too.
Not trying too hard
In this day and age, the true key to being cool? Not trying. And that's precisely what Princess Anne is doing. Or, well, not doing, to be more precise. Her devil-may-care attitude and overall thoroughly upper class British froideur make her endlessly appealing to the fashion crowd, who love nothing more than a little mean girl energy. Anne wouldn't be caught dead in the latest trends, hottest designers or even paying homage to royals past. Instead, she wears what she wants, when she wants, mostly dressing for practicality and function over anything else.
Her 1970s archive is a treasure trove of inspiration today
Princess Anne has garnered a whole new generation of fans in recent years as her impeccable 1970s wardrobe has been rediscovered by TikTok. From her equestrian-chic jodhpurs, menswear shirts and sweaters, to her knee-high boots, silk scarves and pearls, her look has been endlessly imitated online as she's revered as the original 'quiet luxury' pin-up. It's also proven to be influential for designers too, with Fendi's Silvia Venturini Fendi citing the royal as an inspiration for her autumn/winter 2024-2025 menswear collection, titled 'town and country'. Dubbing Anne 'the chicest woman in the world,' She described how she was capable of 'maintaining her femininity while wearing a uniform'.
Embracing print and colour
While Anne might be best known for her equestrian-inspired, country-chic looks, she's also always been a big fan of bold colour and pattern. Much like her late mother, the 75-year-old princess is clearly a believer that to be seen is to be believed, hence her penchant for striking looks that ensure she doesn't fade into the background. Some of her most famous include the turquoise coat dress and matching hat she wore for Prince Charles's Investiture in 1969; the floral high-neck, balloon-sleeved dress she chose for the 1973 London premiere of Jesus Christ Super Star; and the Quality Street-esque printed yellow top and bright purple skirt she wore to King Constantine of Greece's 70th birthday party in 2010.
Unafraid to twin with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence
Long before the Prince and Princess of Wales were syncing their style to emphasise their united front, the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence were also fans of twinning. Frequently pictured in matching wax jackets and flat caps for their outdoor pursuits, or coordinating formal wear looks, the duo have also been known to wear the exact same thing, including matching scarves that were a gift from King Charles III, the Prince of Wales Check Wool Scarf from Highgrove. The couple that dresses together, stays together.
Pioneered trousers as formal wear for royal women
Today, royal women like the Princess of Wales and Duchess of Sussex wearing stylish trouser suits is de rigueur, and in fact often the default for royal duties that require them to appear both serious and practical. Yet a few decades ago it was far from the norm. It was only when the then 20-something Princess Anne started wearing them for official appearances in the 1970s – in keeping with the modern fashion of the time – that it was slowly deemed more acceptable. And while this was something of a rebellious move on Anne's part, with her mother famously very conservative in her dress sense, it also ties in to her sense of self and practical approach to dressing.