The Princess Royal already made it clear earlier this year that she was taking a very low-key approach to turning 75. Earlier in the summer she hosted over 100 of the charities she supports for a Charities Forum instead of having a birthday party.
She’s reportedly spending her big day on 15th August sailing around the Scottish coast with her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, which is exactly how she marked her 70th too. Princess Anne is an experienced sailor and as she celebrates, I found myself looking back at one of her earlier outings with Prince Philip in 1970.
Dressed in nautical stripes and looking relaxed - without her signature beehive updo - the Princess sailed to the Isle of Wight. This might have happened 55 years ago, but this outfit defies the decades and is something many people would wear to this day.
Recreate Princess Anne's Outfit
Crafted from pure cotton with a slightly oversized fit, this striped jumper is a lovely piece as autumn draws nearer. It has decorative white buttons on the shoulders and has a rust-red and white pattern that's reminiscent of Princess Anne's knit.
This pure cotton Jaeger top is a stylish option for casual days. It's cut in a regular fit and the seams add extra visual interest. A timeless crew neckline completes the design and the red and white mix would look gorgeous with white trousers or jeans.
Breton stripes are so classic and this top is a great alternative to a full-on jumper for summer. It has a boat neckline and is made from soft cotton. Designed to fall between the waist and hip, you can tuck these into trousers and jeans or leave them draped over the top of them.
These ankle-length cigarette trousers have a regular waist with concealed elastication for comfort. They fasten with a zip fly and concealed hook-and-eye, and have side pockets, fake back pockets and tapered legs.
Available in several other neutral shades, these white trousers from Zara are high-waisted and simple to style. The pronounced seam detail on the front and back makes them an elegant, smart option and they have front welt pockets.
Coming in classic white, these Etta trousers have a wide-leg, cropped silhouette and sharp pleats for a tailored look. They're currently discounted in the summer sale, making them an affordable option if you want to recreate Princess Anne's look.
Princess Anne wore a red and white striped lightweight knit with a classic crew neckline and long sleeves. Breton stripes have a nautical feel to them and a lot of us will already have at least one striped item in our summer capsule wardrobe, though it could be a shirt.
A jumper makes a cosy alternative as summer gives way to autumn and even on sunny days it’s handy to have one to drape around your shoulders or pop on if it gets breezy. Blue and white and black and white are popular colour combos, but Anne’s red and white knit is a little different.
The neutral hue mellowed the boldness of the cherry red and primary colours suit people with winter colouring in particular, though they can work for everyone. The Princess Royal wore her top with crisp white trousers on her sailing trip and although you can’t tell what the exact silhouette was from pictures, we’d hazard a guess at straight-leg.
Cigarette-style trousers are smart without being too corporate for everyday wear and Princess Anne was definitely dressed in quite a relaxed way on board the boat. Over the decades she’s proved that she loves a pop of colour just like Queen Elizabeth before her.
However, outside of royal engagements or events the Princess Royal does tend to dress more simply and neutrally. Keeping to only a few shades within an outfit is a fast-track to a cohesive, put-together look as it makes everything seem very considered and sleek.
Without seeing the shoes, I’d imagine she went for something practical and flat like a loafer. To give this look a 2025 twist I’d wear a striped top and white trousers with my best white trainers or even espadrille wedges, and a stylish sun hat. However, this is definitely not necessary as an update, given how timeless Anne’s 1970 ensemble was.
This is probably no accident either, as the King’s sister previously told Australian Woman’s Weekly that she and Queen Elizabeth spoke about the distinction between fashion and style.
"The Queen and I had a discussion the other day about the difference between fashion and style and I think maybe that’s relevant in the sense that she didn’t do fashion but she certainly does style, and style tends to last longer," she said, as per The Telegraph.
Princess Anne re-wears so many pieces she’s had for years and doesn’t tend to embrace specific trends either. It’s no wonder that her look from 55 years ago is still such a winner and who knows if she’ll wear something similar for her 75th birthday sailing trip.
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