Princess Anne is classic in white and gold skirt suit that oozes the elegance of a Chanel ensemble

Princess Anne wore a white and gold skirt suit to a royal reception and it oozed elegance just like a Chanel two-piece.

Princess Anne has such a distinctive style and although she regularly champions the best British clothing brands, her outfit for a reception at Buckingham Palace on 20th February reminded us of classic French fashion. The King’s sister wore a white skirt suit to the event, which was held to celebrate exceptional individuals and organisations who are contributing towards humanitarian efforts across the globe. Princess Anne’s outfit was suitably timeless and formal for the occasion and the double breasted blazer and skirt together reminded us of Chanel co-ords.

The French fashion house is known for their boucle or tweed style jackets and skirts and although the fabric of Princess Anne’s skirt suit wasn’t the same fabric, it had a similar feel with its gold-toned buttons and very feminine, proper silhouette. The blazer was double-breasted and the longline length gave it a more retro edge.

Recreate Princess Anne's Outfit

It had a fit-and-flare silhouette which is always gorgeous if you want to accentuate your waist. It’s not as commonly seen with blazers and gave Princess Anne’s jacket a peplum-esque shape that draped over her matching white skirt. The structured shoulders and notched lapels were beautiful and the gleaming gold buttons added glamour.

Even without the skirt this would have been a stand-out wardrobe staple that could’ve been thrown over everything from tailored trousers to jeans (not that we often see Princess Anne wearing denim!). However, the combination of the two pieces together is what really gave her outfit its Chanel-esque power suit feel.

The skirt was knee-length and A-line, falling just below the bottom of the jacket. Trouser suits have risen hugely in popularity in recent years and many of us wear them as date night outfits or even as wedding guest looks, but a skirt suit like this is often overlooked as a possible alternative when you want a tailored outfit.

They’re just as easy to style and boucle skirt suits in particular are one of those French fashion staples that would make any outfit that bit more Parisian and elegant. They bring a certain polished, modest quality and so we would often lean into this with our accessories and wear knee high boots, Mary Janes or ballet flats with a skirt suit.

The Princess Royal wore low black court shoe heels and matched them to her gloves and clutch bag. Monochrome colours work well when you’re going for a very classic look like hers and the contrast of the black and white with the hints of gold was very striking. She tucked in a silk scarf to the neckline of her jacket which featured pops of blue that brought some brightness.

This was such a quintessential Princess Anne outfit and even if you’re not sure about embracing a full-on skirt suit in 2025, she also showcased how fabulous a white blazer can be. So often we find ourselves reaching for our favourite black blazer, but especially as we move into spring and summer, a white one is every bit as versatile for both daytime and evening occasions.

The Princess Royal’s jacket worked so well for the reception, which also marked the anniversaries of four global charities - International Health Partners, ShelterBox, Islamic Relief UK and Christian Aid. King Charles and Queen Camilla, who hosted the reception, were shown displays on the work of all four and a special collection of pictures from the Disasters Emergency Committee.