The British royal family have long influenced how the nation dresses. From Queen Victoria’s white wedding dress to Catherine, Princess of Wales’ mid-length dresses and sleek suiting, what the members of the Windsor family choose to wear often trickles down into our own wardrobes to define eras and make lasting impacts.
And while it’s easy to consider members of the family like Diana, Princess of Wales and Princess Margaret style icons of their time, there are others whose style influence goes a little more under the radar. Consider Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.
In recent years, the King’s sister has become something of an unlikely style icon. The Olympian unintentionally captured the attention of hypebeasts thanks to her love of Oakley sunglasses, which, when paired with her smart-casual outfits for engagements, sits at that perfect push-and-pull contrast that fashion fans so often enjoy. Or, there’s her unfussy approach to rewearing outfits. The Princess often pulls out outfits that have sat in her wardrobe since the 1970s. It’s no wonder then that the internet often crowns her a ‘sustainable queen.’
While her influence isn’t as plain to observe as the ability someone like Kate Middleton has to create an instant sell-out, the Princess Anne effect is a little more stealth and can be observed on the catwalk. For AW25, much of the pieces she relies on for her countless year-round public appearances found themselves refashioned for the new season and a new audience by brands ranging from Miu Miu to Burberry to Hermès.
Here, as she turns 75 on August 15, ELLE explores the influence of Princess Anne on the AW25 runways with the 7 style takeaways to borrow now.
The Skirt Suit
Like her late mum before her, the Princess has long enjoyed wearing a skirt suit. While Queen Elizabeth was known for solid brights, Anne is more willing to choose those in coloured tweeds and prints.
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The Skirt Suit, As Seen At Miu Miu
The Miu Miu AW25 collection had a series of the two-piece sets reminiscent of the Princess Royal’s go-tos. Your decision to opt like Anne in heeled loafers or in lace-ups and sparkly socks like the catwalk.
Courtesy of Miu Miu
The Tartan Skirt
A tartan kilt is a royal wardrobe essential, especially when they’re spending time at Balmoral Castle. Anne’s dark plaid choice, worn here with contrast albeit matching accessories, is worth noting for its neat knee-length hem.
Tim Graham
The Tartan Skirt, As Seen At Burberry
It might have been her elder brother King Charles that Daniel Lee most recently collaborated with, but when it came to the AW25 runway collection, Anne’s influence was plain to see from the kilt skirts to the brooches to the headscarves.
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The Silk Headscarf
When she’s not in a tiara or a riding hat, the Princess can often be found wearing a silk scarf to keep her signature bouffant hairstyle in place.
Derek Hudson
The Silk Headscarf, As Seen At Gucci
The exact same styling trick was used at Gucci, but this time the house’s silk scarves were placed over sporty baseball caps for added athletic flair.
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The Aviator Sunglasses
Princess Anne has become an accidental eyewear influencer over the last few years as her preferred sports-style specs have become a hypebeast’s favourite. For this season, however, it’s her embracing of aviator styles that cut through.
Tim Graham
The Aviator Sunglasses, As Seen At Chloé
At Chloé, the aviator silhouette made a triumphant return. As Anne and the looks on the runway prove, you don’t need to be a pilot to sport this style.
Alessandro Viero
The Brooch
The Princess often decorates her shoulder with a stealthy brooch. It adds not only a decorative touch but one that speaks of family heritage and access to the world’s best jewellery collection.
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The Brooch, As Seen At Tory Burch
For so long, it was only members of the royal family who seemed to be the ones sporting brooches. This season, however, there’s an encouragement for us all to pin one to our pieces. Copy the decree seen at Tory Burch and decorate your favourite black dress with a singular sparkle on the shoulder.
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The Contrast Collar
With all eyes on a royal’s face, and the jewellery that surrounds it, a contrast collar like this one worn by Anne is a natty styling choice.
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The Contrast Collar, As Seen At Patou
At Patou, a similar look was seen with the white collar breaking up the classic all-black combination.
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The Jodhpur
A keen equestrian who competed in the 1976 Olympic games, Princess Anne has a wardrobe of riding garb from knee-high boots to wax jackets.
Tim Graham
The Jodhpur, As Seen At Hermès
Tucked-in trousers are back for AW25 and it was, of course, Hermès who returned them to the catwalk this season in a subtle nod to not only Princess Anne, but the house’s own long-standing equestrian tradition.
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