Forget Princess Anne's Longchamp, it's her timeless brown leather satchel we're shopping right now

Forget Princess Anne's Longchamp bag, it's her timeless brown leather satchel that’s made its way on to our spring shopping list.

Princess Anne has always forged her own fashion path and often puts together outfits from her favourite clothing items from across the decades. She’s no stranger to a pair of the best wellies and a raincoat, but when it comes to formal occasions the Princess Royal loves a bright colour or two and a classic handbag. She’s been spotted travelling with her classic Longchamp Le Pliage bags on many occasions but her latest handbag might just have become our new favourite.

The Princess Royal paid an important visit to the knife crime community group, Off the Streets NN, on 16th February in Wellingborough. For this poignant engagement she opted for a paired-back outfit that included chestnut brown accessories. One of these was a gorgeous, mini leather satchel that was incredibly timeless.

Princess Anne steered clear of the bright or pastel spring/summer fashion colour trends for 2024 with her bag choice and instead went for a beautifully versatile shade. The rich brown hue is so neutral and easy to pair with even the boldest outfits - which we all know the Princess Royal has plenty of in her wardrobe too!

Shop Satchels Like Princess Anne's

This leather satchel has a long, adjustable strap that means it could be worn comfortably as a shoulder bag and would also likely work as a crossbody bag. However, the senior royal instead chose to hold hers under her left arm which gave a more relaxed and unfussy feel to her look.

The design of Princess Anne’s satchel was the epitome of simple elegance, with smooth leather and a fold over design without any embellishments. The gold-toned hardware of the strap buckles added a touch of glamour in a very understated way. If you’ve ever been tempted to add a brown bag into your collection then the Princess Royal has just delivered a masterclass in how to style it by incorporating matching tones into her look.

She wore matching tan-brown gloves and a knee-length pleated skirt in a similar warm hue. Princess Anne finished off her look with classic brown loafers with a tassel detail, tying the whole look together. The only contrasting element in her look in Wellingborough was her grey asymmetric peacoat. This had an earthy green running through the subtle checked pattern of the fabric, with brown covered buttons.

The Princess Royal’s whole outfit was beautifully coordinated and chic, with the satchel as the star accessory. We can’t help wanting her to bring back this bag again for other engagements as she so often does with her timeless pieces. 

During her visit to Off the Streets NN, Princess Anne presented certificates to those who have supported them and completed critical bleed control training courses and also met with volunteers and supporters and heard from those affected by knife crime. Off the Streets NN was set up in 2021 after the tragic death of a local teenager due to knife crime and is committed to eradicating knife crime in the local community. They have already trained 608 community members in critical bleed control and placed 13 Amnesty Bins across the country to allow for knives to be handed in and discarded safely.